Scars
by AcesXSpades
Summary: Wolverine is tormented by an old friend of Xaviers. Will her teasing get the better of him or will he learn to deal with playful woman. Bad summary, sorry. Wolverine, ect. property of Marvel. Dria property of me. M for sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Wolverine stepped from the fresh mountain night air into the smog of a bar. It was filled with pissed and depressed drunks, the majority dressed in black and or leather. A long wooden bar ran the left length, booths and tables ran along the right. At the back was a black wooden platform where a drum set, microphones, and amps were set up, ready for the next band. The air was thick and cigarette smoke hung. The lights were dim, nearly too dim to see. Probably to encourage the drunks to stay in their seats and not move around so much, less fights.

Chuck told him about a female mutant he had known and asked Wolverine to find her. He had shown Wolverine an image and said she could heal so she may look very much the same if not a older.

Four men in black and leather took the stage. One to the drums, the others to bass and guitars. A woman took the stage then and lights shown on the stage. The woman wore a short-sleeved black hoodie that only went down to her waist, the large hood enveloped her head. It was zipped up to just above her cleavage and large silver safety pins ran up the sleeves. She wore a black and silver studded belt on her black jeans over a pair of black converse. A thick silver chain encircled her slender neck. For tiny woman she had a hell of a body. Long, strong, slender legs. Thin waist with a solid two-pack of abs. Slender, slanted shoulders and a set of womanly curves. Her face was hidden by the hood and its shadow.

Scattered cat-calls came from around the bar. Wolverine took up a stool. The woman approached the mic. Her chin and a pair of full lips, painted black, were lit. She opened her mouth and screamed, the guitars screamed with her and the band began to play. It was heavier music, metal. The woman alternated between singing and screaming. Her screaming was good but her voice was captivating. While they preformed, Wolverine scanned the crowd. There weren't many women, none of them were the mutant he was looking for. Either Chuck had been wrong about where she'd be, or it was the hooded woman on stage.

When the band left, Wolverine headed for backstage. A large man blocked his path. He had a name badge with 'SECURITY' written on it. "What you doing back here?" the man's deep voice rumbled.

"Here to see the woman."

"No one's allowed back with the band."

Wolverine growled in frustration. "Tell her I'm a friend of Professor X." The guard relayed this to a man via walkie-talkie. About a minute later the woman emerged, face still hidden.

"How's Charles? Is something wrong?" she asked.

"He's good. Nothing's wrong. He sent me to find you."

The woman nodded to the guard then said, "Come on back." The guard stepped aside. Wolverine could have easily dealt with him but he didn't want to make a scene. The woman led him down a hallway with black walls. The hallway was empty. "Why'd Charles send you to find me?" she asked over her shoulder, she couldn't have been more than five foot.

"Dunno, Chuck doesn't always explain," he said following her. She hummed agreement. "Just told me to find you and bring you back."

"Alright, give me a minute to tell the guys." This had turned out easier than he thought.

XxxX

Wolverine sat on the Blackbird behind the wheel. The woman sat beside him. Her hood still up, he heard a hiss from beneath. "I don't trust anyone hiding under a hood," Wolverine less than subtly hinted.

The woman laughed lightly. "Fair enough." She lifted two slender hands to her hood and slid it off. What was beneath suprised Wolverine for a moment. The woman had a gorgeous face. Full lips still painted black, a small nose, flawless pale skin. Her eyes were the color of blood, her pupils were ovular and gave her eyes an almost snake-like appearance. Her long, straight hair hung in an ebony curtain over her shoulders and ended at her mid-back. What caught his eye, however, were the four pink lines that ran over her left eye from above the eyebrow to her cheekbone. "My eyes tend to frighten humans but I hate sunglasses," she explained the hood. Sooner or later the question was always asked. "No the band doesn't know about me," she said explaining another common question.

Once the Blackbird was parked, the woman seemed to know exactly where she was going. He followed curiously as she made her way to the Professor's office. She knocked. A muffled, "Come in," sounded from behind the door. The woman opened the door to reveal the Professor and Beast talking. The Professor came from behind his desk. A beautiful smile spread across the woman's black lips. She leaned forward slightly and embraced the Professor. "It's good to see you, Alexandria."

"You too, Charles. How have you been?"

"Busy as usual. Have you been staying out of trouble?"

The woman laughed. "Not really."

"Who is this girl, Chuck?" Wolverine asked.

"An old friend of mine."

She laughed again. "I used to baby sit him." The statement shocked both Wolverine and Beast. "Most well-behaved kid ever seen."

"I'll call in Ororo to show you around," Xavier said.

When Ororo came in it induced another hug. "Look who's all grown up."

"Dria, it's been years," Ororo said, leading the woman out of the room.

Once the women were gone Beast was the first to speak up. "Interesting, she seems to age like Wolverine."

"She has a healing factor. Not quite as profound as Wolverine's judging by her scars. I haven't seen those." Xavier stated.

XxxX

Wolverine walked into the Danger Room's control area. He found the woman standing with arms crossed over her chest watching the students run a drill. "Hello, Wolverine," she said without turning around. Wolverine joined her by the window. "They're good," she commented on the students.

"Could be better." He watched for a minute. "Alexandria was it?"

"Dria."

"Logan."

"You don't trust me, Logan," it wasn't a question. He scoffed. She smirked. "Good. You shouldn't. I don't trust you either."

This was an odd woman. "Why don't you trust me?"

"Same reason you don't trust me. You don't know me. I'm on your territory," she stated. "And you remind me of someone." Wolverine glared over at her. She just watched the kids. "Don't be too hard on them," she teased then turned and walked out the door. Wolverine growled in his throat.

XxxX

Dria sat cross-legged in a plush chair in the library reading, black hair a curtain around her face. A book rested in her lap. One slender hand rested under her chin, the other on the book. "What are you reading?" she heard a voice behind her.

"The Odyssey."

"Ah, excellent choice."

She turned in the chair to see the large furred man from the Professor's office. She held out a hand. "Dria."

"Henry McCoy. A pleasure, Dria," he said accepting the hand.

Wolverine walked in. "Kid got pegged in the Danger Room," he said gesturing with a thumb over his shoulder.

"Until next time, Dria," Beast said as he rushed out the door. Dria unfolded herself from the chair and went to the bookcase. She had to climb partway up the ladder because she couldn't reach the book's self. She could feel that Wolverine was still watching her. She glanced over her shoulder and down at Wolverine.

"Enjoying the view?" This earned a snarl from the man and he turned and left. Dria smirked. 'This guy's gunna be fun to mess with,' she thought as she slid down the ladder. She caught up to him in the hall.

Dria turned and stepped in front of him, resting a hand on the wall. "Out of my way, kid," he snarled.

She smirked. "I'm at least twenty years older than Charles."

"Still a kid to me."

"How about you and I go to the Danger Room. We'll find out who's the kid," she teased.

Wolverine hated to back down from a challenge. He'd put this cocky woman in her place. "Fine. When?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why now isn't a good time." She turned and led the way towards the Danger Room.

XxxX

Dria waited while Wolverine set up a drill. She stood leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest. "What's the objective?"

"Kill the Centennial."

"Time limit?" she asked as he stood from the controls.

"Twenty minutes," he said walking towards the door.

She smirked. "Plenty of time." She watched him walk passed her through the door before following him into the Danger Room. They emerged into a desecrated chunk of city. A fallen building lay before them. Garbage in the streets caught fire from a building spitting fire from its shattered windows. There was a three car pile-up that involved a taxi. Other cars lay abandoned or overturned in the deserted city streets. One of the cars' alarm was going off, accompanied by a desperate fire alarm. "Pretty," she said, earning a weird sideways glance from Wolverine.

'Either this woman is our of her mind or she has a messed up sense of humor,' Wolverine thought. He couldn't decide which was more likely. The sound of gears grinding emerged over the alarms. Booming steps made the ground vibrate. A pair of headlight eyes appeared in the smoke. Dria ran to a building and started making her way up a fire escape.

Wolverine ignored her and got in a fighting stance. He dodged as a shot came for him. It tore a hole into the ground where he had been standing. A foot came down near Wolverine and he ran at it, claws extended. He plunged his claws into the ankle and started making his way, claw over claw, up the Centennial's leg.

Once at the hip, the Centennial grabbed at Wolverine. He leapt to its hand and ran up the arm. He stopped at the shoulder to cut into the arm. Several cuts later, the arm fell with a resounding boom to the ground below. Sparks bled from the socket. The head turned towards Wolverine and shot. He dodged towards the neck. "Nice of you to join me," he heard from the neck. He saw Dria crouched at the back of the neck, tearing a panel free. She let it drop to the ground below. She reached in and tore a cable loose. Her entire body shook violently for a moment before dropping limply out of sight. Wolverine ran to where she had fallen from. He jammed his claws into the bare cords a drug his claws along the Centennial back as he slid down to the ground.

Dria had fallen on a car, making a large indentation in the roof and shattering the windows. Wolverine scooped her up and crouched behind the car as the Centennial shook. Dria coughed and brought a hand to her head. "Not the smartest thing to stick your hand in live wires," she said groggily. Wolverine brought her head to his chest and covered her as the Centennial's body sparked with s series of explosions and crumpled to the ground. Debris rained over them for a moment before the city faded. Wolverine sat up. Dria's head rested on one of his arms while the other lay across her stomach. Dria smirked.

"What?" Wolverine snarled.

"A little protective?" she teased.

"Don't get used to it, kid." Wolverine didn't pull away contrary to what his agitated tone would have suggested he done.

"Wolverine?" He looked over at her. "You can let me up now," she said with a smirk. Not wanting to seem bothered by her comment, Wolverine took a normal pace to let her go and help her to her feet. She rubbed the back of her head.

"You hurt?" he asked in a monotonous voice.

"I'll heal. It's just a bruise right now." She looked over at him. "You are protective aren't you?" she taunted. He snarled and walked out the door. Dria watched him go, a smirk on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

XxxX

It was late. Or early. Whichever you consider two in the morning to be. Wolverine had heard someone moving passed his room in the hallway. Automatically suspicious he opened his door quietly and silently followed the light padding. Whoever it was was good at sneaking around. Anyone else wouldn't have heard the slight movement of bare feet moving lightly over the rugs and wood floors.

He saw the front door silently closing. Either a student was sneaking out or someone had broken in and was now on their way out. He opened the door and saw a shadow moving towards the forest surrounding the grounds. He shut the door and ran after the figure, no longer caring if they knew he was following. When his speed picked up so did the shadow's. It ran into the trees where he lost sight of whoever it was. He sniffed the air and began following the scent.

The scent stopped suddenly. He searched for the scent again but found nothing passed the point where he stood. That meant they were hiding in the trees here. "Following me, Wolverine?" he heard a taunting voice from above him. Hearing a soft thud at his back, he turned and came face to face with red eyes and full lips turned up in a smirk. Dria's hair hung in her face, she peered through it like a curtain at Wolverine.

"What are you doing in the forest in the middle of the night," he asked suspiciously.

"Getting air," she said and began slowly circling him. "Is that against the rules?" she teased. Wolverine snarled. She chuckled and came to a stop in front of . "You need to loosen up, Wolverine," she said tugging the front of his shirt. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes and smiled sweetly. Her smile was beautiful and enticing when it wasn't a taunting smirk. "When's the last time you went for a walk under the moon?" Wolverine glared at her suspiciously. Dria hooked her arm in Wolverine's "Come on, big guy." She tugged his arm and led him into the woods.

Wolverine let Dria lead him along, curious about the strange woman. After a few minutes, she released his arm and walked beside him. They walked for an hour and were headed back to the mansion. Neither had spoken. Dria caught Wolverine looking her at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Just ask," she said. He turned to look at her. "You're wondering about the scar on my face since I heal."

"I've never known someone with a healing factor to scar," he admitted.

"I'm guessing you've never had your powers halted or had them returned shortly after." He gave her a weird look. She smiled at his confusion. "Let's just say I got in some trouble." They had returned to the mansion. Dria stood at the front door. "Good night, Wolverine," she said disappearing into the mansion. Though Wolverine walked in only a few seconds later, she was already gone.

XxxX

Dria had been laying on a thick branch of a large oak reading when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She had been at the institute for about a week and had gotten to know the students so it didn't surprise her to see Kitty's number show up.

Rogue's voice came from the other end. "Hey, Dria. Can you come pick us up?" her voice was a little off.

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothin'. Kitty and I just ended up a ways from school." Dria heard Kitty yelling in the background how she had told Rogue it was a bad idea.

"You follow the Brotherhood again?"

". . . Yeah."

Dria chuckled. "No problem. Your secret is safe with me," she said and hung up. She leapt nimbly from the tree and landed softly on the grass. She padded barefoot to the garage. She saw Wolverine's legs sticking out from under the SUV. She could hear him working on something underneath. Crouching by his legs she said, "Boo." She heard his head hit metal and a growl. She chuckled.

He slid out from under the car. "What?" he snarled agitated.

"I need the car," she said still smirking.

"Why?" he said sitting up.

"An errand."

"What kind of errand?" He stood up whipping his greasy hands on his pants.

"A feminine kind of errand."

He glared down at her suspiciously. "Meaning?"

Dria rolled her eyes. "I'm picking Kitty and Rogue to go get tampons. Happy?" She snatched the keys from the front pocket of a shocked Wolverine. "Maybe next time you won't ask me about my errands," she teased getting into the car. She backed up and left. Dria flipped open her phone and called Kitty. "I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"At a Seven Eleven on highway 44."

"Ok, stay there," Dria said and hung up as she sped off in their direction.

When she arrived, Kitty ran out to her. Rogue took a more relaxed pace, her arms crossed over her chest. "Thanks, like, so much," Kitty gushed and hugged Dria.

"Anytime. Get in the car. I'm gunna grab something." Dria went in and emerged with a pink box. Kitty and Rogue gave her a weird look. "So Wolverine doesn't bug me again next time I tell him I'm going to run an 'errand'," she said with a smirk, tossing the box to Kitty.

Once back at the mansion. Wolverine stood in the garage with his arms crossed and a glare on his face. Dria got out and tossed the keys to Wolverine who caught them. Kitty got out holding the pink box and practically skipped into the mansion. Wolverine's glared turned into a scrunched scowl, like he smelled something horrid. Dria just winked at him as she walked passed him to join the two girls inside.

Later that night, Dria lounged on a couch in the living room with some students and Storm watching the news. A story came on about a tipped oil semi on highway 44. The semi overturned for unknown reasons and nearly ran over a car which miraculously seemed to phase through the semi and emerge unscathed. The semi the stopped just short of gas station.

Wolverine's aggitated voice came from the doorway. "Feminine errand?" Dria sighed and looked over her shoulder at Wolverine. He nodded his head towards the doorway. She took the hint and followed him out of the room. "What the hell was that?" he snarled. A few students passing in the hall stared as they walked passed.

"You caught me. Let's at least talk about this someplace where the students aren't listening," she said matching his aggitated tone.

"Fine," he snarled. Dria led the way to her room and shut the door. As soon as the latch clicked, Wolverine repeated, "What the hell was that."

"The girls followed the Brotherhood. I'm guessing something went wrong and they saved people," Dria said leaning her back on the closed door, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So you helped them cover it up," he growled.

She shrugged. "Sure. Why would I get them punished for saving lives?" Wolverine growled. "What are you going to do now, Wolverine?" she dared.

He thought for a moment then snarled, "You think I'm the protective one."

This earned a smile from Dria. "That's the closest thing to a jest I've ever heard from you." She walked over to Wolverine. "I'll talk to them. Thanks, big guy," she said and kissed his cheek. He growled and left.

XxxX

Dria woke with a yell. She clamped her mouth shut to bite back the sound so as to not wake anyone. She got up and went to the window to open it for some fresh air. Her door flew open. Turning, Dria saw Wolverine standing in the doorway. He wore dark pants and was shirtless. His hair was disheveled like he had been sleeping. "Need something, Wolverine?"

"Why'd you yell?" he snarled. She was in thin baggy black pants and a black tank top. Her dark hair was shaggy and messed.

"Just a dream. You worry too much," her tease didn't have the same fire behind it. She opened the window then sat back on her bed. He walked over to her bed.

"What was the dream?"

"A memory." Wolverine folded his arms and stared at her. "When you live a long time, you tend to live through some shit."

"I know what you mean, kid." Dria gestured to her bed.

"How did you get metal on your bones?"

"In a lab. I don't remember much. My memory was wiped," he said sitting on the edge of her bed.

She folded in her legs. "Must be nice to not have to remember," she mused.

"No, kid. I don't know a lot of what happened in my life. I know most of it wasn't so nice."

"Some things are better off forgotten."

Wolverine watched her a moment. "That dream really got to you, didn't it?"

A sad smile flickered on her face. "Am I that obvious?" she asked trying to joke.

"A little," he said playing along. She laughed.

"Thanks." They sat in silence for a moment. "You really are protective," she teased, more her normal self. Wolverine scoffed. "You know it's true. You came charging in here looking for a fight." Wolverine 'humph'ed and Dria chuckled. "Go get some sleep, Wolverine. You know boys aren't allowed in girls' rooms after nine," she mocked.

Wolverine stood saying, "I ain't no boy."

Dria laughed. "Course not, big guy."

XxxX

Dria stood on a step ladder and was reaching up taking a burnt out light bulb out of a wall fixture in a hall. The burnt out light bulb in one hand and a new one in another, she reached up to put the new one in.

Cannonball stole Amara's math book. He used his powers to bolt from her, laughing. He looked over his shoulder to see where Amara was. He ran into the wall and ricocheted off. Cannonball crashed into Dria. Cannonball flung down the hall. Dria dropped the light bulbs and fell back. Expecting to fall on the ground, she was surprised when her fall stopped without her landing on glass.

She looked over her shoulder to see Wolverine, his arms hooked under hers. "Nice catch."

"What were you doing?" he asked helping her to her feet.

"Changing a light," she said gesturing to the shattered bulbs. "Where's some candles?"

"Um, probably the closet down the hall," he said taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "Why?"

"Storm's coming. Can't you feel it?" He thought about it a moment after a while he realized there was a prickling sensation at the back of his head. She nodded. "Thought so. Animals can feel storms. Beast probably feels something too." No sooner after she finished, there was a distant roll of thunder. Dria walked off to gather candles while Wolverine went to run a Danger Room session.

XxxX

Dria sat in the observation room, watching the kids practice. Wolverine had gotten annoyed and went to show the students how it's done. The lights flickered before sending the school into blackness. She heard one of the younger girls scream at the sudden dark. Dria made her way down to the Danger Room.

She saw the students feeling their way around, trying to find the door. They were trying to go on memory but they had been in a different environment when the Danger Room was on. She walked over to Wolverine and put a hand on his shoulder. His claws popped on instinct and he whirled on Dria. Her arm ripped slightly, leaving three red gashes on her forearm. "Hey now. You're lucky you got someone that heals," she teased as her arm closed.

"What are you doing down here," he snarled, a little pissed that he really could have cut one of the kids.

"Apparently no one down here can see in the dark. I thought I'd get everyone upstairs where there's windows." She rounded up the kids and got them in a group where everyone had a hand on someone's shoulder. Wolverine's eyes adjusted slightly and he followed by sound. "Watch out for the door frame," she said over her shoulder. She heard a thud as one of the boys forgot to check the area in front of them for the door.

Everyone made it up the stairs with minor amounts of bumping and tripping. Red sunset poured in through the windows. The students poured into the living room as the sun set. Dria had set up and pit candles around the room. There wasn't really a reason everyone gathered in the light. It just seemed safer to be where you could see your own feet. Dria sat on the back of a couch watching over the flickering room.

Wolverine leaned against the large door frame with his arms crossed. "Why so uptight, big guy?"

"Only the area around the institute lost power." Dria slid off the couch and walked to Wolverine.

"I know. Someone's going to break in."

Wolverine glared dangerously at Dria. "How would you know this?"

She shrugged. "What else would happen in a contained blackout. Either someone's coming in, or the fact that it's just the area around the institute is a coincidence," she said. She ran her nails along his arm as she walked through the door. "I don't believe in coincid-"she trailed off as her head cocked like a dog smelling something. "Speak of the devil," she snarled and bolted.

Wolverine snarled and followed. They ran through the institute. Wolverine recognized the scent and growled. Dria was ahead of Wolverine to the point where he only caught sight of her heals when she turned a corner. 'Gotta admit, the kid's fast,' he thought as he ran.

When he rounded a corner he came upon Dria. She was pulling long thin fangs that dripped a toxic green fluid out of Sabertooth's shoulder. She leapt back from him and he lunged for her. She dodged and Wolverine popped his claws. He lunged for Sabertooth but Dria held her arm out. "No, he's mine," she hissed in a deep threatening tone. He looked to Sabertooth. There was something wrong with him, he was unsteady.

He retracted is claws. "Have fun, kid." Dria leapt at Sabertooth and grab a fist full of his hair. She slammed his head repeatedly into the wall. A sickening crunch emitted as the back of his skull caved in. Something was definitely wrong with Sabertooth, he wasn't healing.

A gasp from behind Wolverine caught Dria's attention. She turned and saw Kitty with her hands over her mouth and a horrified look on her face. Dria turned back to Sabertooth and saw the gory mess she had made. She dropped Sabertooth. Kitty turned and ran off down the hall. When Dria turned back to Sabertooth he was gone. He must have healed enough to slip out the window he had come through.

Wolverine watched Dria. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white and her hands were shaking. The other instructors had joined them in the hall. "You ok, kid?" Wolverine asked. The other teachers had come to see what had upset Kitty.

"What is going on?" Storm asked.

The Professor saw Dria. "Alexandria, what's wrong?" he asked concerned. She said nothing as she walked passed the teachers. Xavier reached out a hand and touched her arm to try to comfort her as she passed. He recoiled his hand as if he'd been shocked. They watched her retreat into the dark of the hall.

"What's wrong with her?" Wolverine asked.

"I don't know. But something is very wrong. When I touched her I felt immense waves of pain and hate. This isn't like her at all." He shook his head. "She's never been like this. If there's one thing I know about Alexandria, it's that she is always in control. And the emotion coming off her, she never lets psychic powers touch her. She never makes mistakes."

Wolverine thought back to when they faced off and she touched open wires. If the kid never made mistakes, she had let him win. But why?


	3. Chapter 3

Wolverine was headed to his room for the night when he heard a loud crash from Dria's room. He threw open the door to find her standing with her fist through her wall. Everyone had given her a broad girth the rest of that evening. It wasn't hard since she had shut herself in her room. "So protective." Her jest came in a monotone. She withdrew her hand from the plaster.

Wolverine relaxed. "What's that about?" he asked nodding to the hole.

She shrugged. "Just a little tense." Dria saw the disbelieving look on Wolverine's face. She walked to her bed and sat. "What would you like me to say, Wolverine?"

"I'd like you to tell me why the hell you lost control like that."

Dria scoffed. "You've never lost control? From your reputation, you have quite the temper."

"From you reputation you never loose control and never make mistakes." She scowled. "You let me win, kid."

Dria scoffed. "That other you, big guy?"

"No."

"Liar." She nodded to her bed, an invitation to sit with her. He did so and she said, "Why do you care that I lost it?"

"For one you scared the shit out of everyone."

"Including you?" her teasing tone was starting to come back.

Wolverine scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself, kid." Dria smiled slightly. "So what was with the fangs?" he asked changing topic.

"Oh, they retract. It wouldn't exactly be a wise mutation if I was injecting my own venom into my tongue every time I shut my mouth."

"What does your venom do?"

"Humans it kills. Mutants it paralyzes their powers for quite a while and makes weak. A healing mutant it temporarily paralyzes their power." They sat in silence for a while. "You should get some sleep," Dria finally said.

"Me? Kid, you're the one that bashed a man's head open today."

She looked away. "He's not a man," she snarled.

"So it was Sabertooth that set you off. What'd he do, kid?" Dria didn't respond. Her fists were tightly clenched again, the blood draining from her knuckles. Wolverine felt like he should say something comforting. Unfortunately, he had never been the comforting type. Tentatively, he put his arm around Dria's shoulders. He could feel her shaking. Rage was rolling off her in waves, you didn't need to be a psychic to feel it. After a moment of her tense shaking, Wolverine felt Dria slump against his body. Her head rested on his chest. Still at a loss for words, he put his other arm around her and just held her there for a while.

XxxX

Dria woke to an unfamiliar warmth. She slowly cracked her eyes, slowly adjusting them to the sunlight streaming in between the blinds she forgot to close. Still blinded, she closed her eyes and ran her hand along the warm surface she was laying against. It was hard, smooth in some places, furred in others, there were planes and ridges. It confused her half-sleeping mind until she felt the distinct ridge of jeans. She heard a groggy groan above her head. "You tryin' to start something', kid?" came the thick, sleepy voice. She looked up into Wolverine's face which had surprisingly cracked a smile.

Dria pushed herself up. She had been draped over Wolverine's shirtless body. Her head had rested on his chest, an arm thrown over his chest and a leg over one of his. "Oh shit. Tell me we didn't . . ."

"Relax, kid. We didn't," he reassured.

Dria nearly sighed in relief. "Wait . . . Did you smile? Did Wolverine actually tease me and smile?" she said in feigned shock. "I think I'll faint!" Dria put a hand to her head.

"You little shit," he snarled with the corner of his lips turned up in a smile. Wolverine rolled over onto her. It was a relief to see Dria as herself again.

"Now who's trying to start something, _old man_?" she teased from beneath him.

"Old man?" he snarled.

"If I'm a kid, you're an old man," she shrugged. "You gunna do something about it?" Dria challenged.

"Don't test me, _kid_."

Wolverine made to push himself off Dria. She put a hand on the back of his neck and pulled herself up to him. Her body pressed against his, she stopped her lips a breath apart. "Just _testing_," Dria whispered against his lips. She rolled out from under Wolverine and stood next to her bed.

Wolverine rolled to his side. "You're something, kid," he said looking up at her.

"Back at you, old man," she said with a wink. "Now get out. I gotta shower and change."

He stood and stared down Dria. "You sure you ok?"

She rolled her eyes. "So protective. If I say yes will you get out?"

Wolverine glared. "You need anything . . ."

"I know where to find you," she finished. Wolverine glared at her, not believing she was fine, before he left.

XxxX

Wolverine watched the kids critically as they ran drills. His mind wandered back to his and Dria's 'play time' that morning. He hadn't seen her since leaving and wasn't sure if she was still doing fine. It honestly relieved him that she had been her teasing self, which confused him. What confused him more was the relief that she hadn't been pissed about waking up with him.

Dria had fallen asleep sitting with Wolverine, her head on his shoulder. He had lain Dria in her bed and went to the door. Thinking about how she'd been acting, her decided not to leave her alone. Wolverine had laid on the bed as well and fallen asleep. He probably took his shirt off in his sleep, or in a half-sleeping stupor, since that was the way he normally slept. He guessed that Dria had cuddled up to him on her own.

He had awoken to the feel of her hand wandering over his body. Admittedly, the touch wasn't unwelcome. Her hand was soft and gentle, something he wasn't used to. Wolverine thought of her hand at the edge of his pants, he could almost feel her hand there now. "How is she?" a voice said interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey, Chuck. She was doing good when I saw her this morning. She's still worked up but her humor is back and she's acting herself," he said turning to Xavier. "You haven't seen her?"

"Not yet. She as been in her room. I thought she could use some space."

"Haven't you known her for seventy years or something', Chuck?"

"Yes. However, I've never seen her act his way before," he pondered.

"I'm fine, Charles," Dria said from the doorway.

"Are you sure, Alexandria?" Xavier asked worried.

"You worry too much," she assured. Wolverine seemed to be the only one who realized that Dria hadn't answered the question. "How's the girl doing?" she asked nodding toward the window at Kitty.

"She's fine. Just shook up," Wolverine said.

Dria nodded. "Good." She saw the kids finishing up. "I'm gunna go. I doubt any of the kids want to be around me," she said as she walked out the door.

After Wolverine talked to the students about their performance that day, he held Kitty back when the others left. "Kitty, what you saw last night . . ."

"I don't like that lady. She's freaky. Like, something was definitely wrong with her."

"Nothing is wrong with her. Something happened to her. Sabertooth just set something off," he explained.

"What happened?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I'm guessing its something to do with those scars. From what she told me, her powers were taken away long enough or her to get them and them heal to a scar."

"Our powers can be stopped?"

"Sounds like it."

"Shit."

"Hey, kid. Language," he scolded.

"Oh, so you can and I can't?" she said putting her hands on her hips.

"Ya, I'm old. You're a kid." She rolled her eyes. "Go do your homework or something."

XxxX

Dria sat on her window ledge, legs dangling over. Wolverine walked by her window on the ground. "Hey there, old man."

He looked up at her. "Why are you hanging out a window?" She shrugged. "Listen, kid. This morning . . ." She slip from her third floor window and landed silently in front of Wolverine.

"This morning what?" She paused. "Cat got your tongue?" she teased.

"Never mind," he said and made to walk passed her.

She stepped in his path. "What were you going to say?" She waited for him to respond. When he didn't she said, "Thank you, Wolverine. You're a good guy." He scoffed. She smiled. "Hard to believe, I know. The infamous Wolverine is secretly a good guy." She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Her lips were soft and warm. She pulled away and leapt up the window sills to her own and crawled inside.

XxxX

Wolverine lay in bed, his arms behind his head. Unknowingly his mind went back to that morning and Dria's touch. He could almost feel it now, wandering his body. Feeling the sudden urge to check on her, he got up and walked out into the hallway.

It was only a few doors down to Dria's room. Halfway there, he stopped. 'What the hell am I doing?' he thought. Maybe on top of being a healing mutant and a snake, the kid was a witch too. It wouldn't surprise him. Pausing at the door he listened. The door was shut but cracked just enough to not be latched. Inside he could hear Dria breathing slowly. Probably sleeping, it was 3:30a.m. after all. 'What am I doing here?" he asked himself again. Silently, he pushed the door open. He paused in the doorway, her breathing had changed.

"Hello, Wolverine," he heard her voice from the direction of her bed. He heard the bed shift and then Dria was suddenly in front of him. "Why up so late?"

"Can't sleep," he growled in a hushed voice.

"And why are you in my room?" she quietly teased. Why was he in her room? He didn't know. He could see Dria smile in the dark. "Come on," she nodded to her bed. "Come sit for a while." He sat, his legs stretched out on her bed. She sat next to him with her legs curled into her. "You always sleep shirtless?" she asked gesturing to his bare chest.

He looked down as if he just realized it. "Yeah."

"Good to know," she teased

"What about you?" he asked slightly defensive. "You always sleep with no pants?" He looked over her oversized black t-shirt that ended mid-thigh

"Maybe," she teased. "What are you doing in here, Wolverine?"

"Thought I'd check on you," he admitted.

"At 3:30 in the morning?"

"That a problem?" he asked suddenly on guard.

She chuckled. "No. It's bizarre timing." he looked at her confused. "I was in the middle of a dream so I was a bit disoriented when you came in," she explained.

"What kind of dream?" he asked thinking of her reaction yesterday to Sabertooth.

Maybe it was a good dream and you interrupted at the wrong part," she said running her nails down his chest and stomach. "Or maybe it was a bad dream and you woke me up at just the right part," she said stopping at his pant line.

"Which was it, kid?"

"You just wanna know if I was dreaming about you." She smiled.

He smiled back. "Were you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she teased.

"Little shit." Dria smiled

"So is this gunna be a nightly thing, big guy?" The response she got was Wolverine looking awkward and trying to come up with an answer. "You're welcome here whenever you can't sleep, Wolverine."

"Same for you, kid."

She nodded to her door. "Go get some rest, old man."

XxxX

It had been a week with no midnight visits. Kitty had started to hang around Dria again but was still tense around her. Dria was walking down a hall, making her way to the garage. She was going to take Kitty and Rogue to the movie store to pick something up for the weekend. Voices behind a closed door made her pause.

". . . could loose control in front of the children if Sabertooth shows up," came Xavier's voice.

"You've known her most your life, Chuck. If she looses control I'll handle it," Wolverine responded.

Storm's voice came, "How will you handle it, Wolverine?"

"I'll handle it," was his only response. 'What the hell are the talking about?' Dria thought to herself. One the one hand she was a little ticked that Xavier wouldn't trust her to keep control, on the other hand she deserved it. What struck her as odd was that Wolverine was the one sticking up for her. And what _did_ he mean by 'handle it'? She heard footsteps head for the door and she silently bolted down the hallway around the nearest corner.

XxxX

Dria pulled into the garage with Kitty, Rogue, and a plastic bag of movies. Wolverine was waiting, arms crossed. "Oh come on," complained Kitty. "We can't possibly be in trouble for going to get movies!" The smirk that spread on Wolverine's face told her he'd heard Kitty.

"I don't think you're in trouble," she assured Kitty and opened her door. The girls took the movies inside and Dria headed for Wolverine.

"What kind of movies did they get?" he asked.

"Mostly girly shit like those damned Twilight movies. Those things should be burned," she said with a roll of her red eyes. "What is it?" Wolverine gave her a confused look. "You're waiting out here looking like you have something to say. What is it?"

"Chuck had a meeting with the teachers today," he started. The look she gave him told him she'd probably heard something. "About you being an X-Man."

Her eyes widened. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Chuck thinks you'd be a good addition. You got experience and you could protect the kids." He paused. "But after Sabertooth's visit he isn't so sure, and he's right," he paused. "But, you can still join if you want. You just gotta answer to me."

"You'll 'handle it'." She _had_ heard them. Or at least part.

He nodded. "How about it?" Dria thought about it. She hadn't stayed in one place very long for decades. Maybe it'd be nice to settle down for a little while. Then again there was Sabertooth. Unconsciously, she reached up and touched her cheek where the scars ended. Wolverine watched this.

"I don't know. I can try it," she said almost mechanically. The response concerned Wolverine. Not just concern for her mental health, but also worry she'd loose control again.

XxxX

That night Dria dream of metal and blood. A syringe stabbed into her arm. Chains. A wicked smile. Pain tearing through her body. Hands all over her. A clawed hand coming towards her face. Blood pouring into her eye. Pain.

She woke in a gasp. Her body was clammy from a sheen of cold sweat covering her body. She felt the childish urge to need someone, the want to be with someone and feel safe. Her bed felt much to big, the room much too cold.

Crossing her arms over her chest she stood and walked to the window. Parting the drapes with one hand she peered outside into the dark. The leaves were starting to turn. With a sigh she turned and padded barefoot down the hall to Wolverine's door. Inside she heard heavy breathing. Quietly as possible she slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open, closing it slowly behind her.

Dria looked around the room a moment. Wolverine's bare back was to her, his sheet draped over his hips, blankets tossed on the floor. Slowly, Dria lifted the sheet and crawled in bed beside him. She curled up to his back and felt a mental stab of how childish she was being. But being raped does funny things to you.


	4. Chapter 4

Dria lounged on her bed reading Jigsaw . Wolverine knocked at her door. "Come in," she called. Wolverine came in carrying a stack of clothes. She raised a brow. "You do laundry now?"

He snarled. "Watch it, kid. It's your uniform." He tossed it to her.

Catching it, she asked, "Uniform?"

"You're an X-Man now, kid. The job comes with a uniform." She looked it over. It was made of a black fabric that felt like some sort of cross between leather and spandex. She fingered the red X emblem on the left breast. "Your first mission is tonight. We leave in three hours," he said before leaving.

XxxX

Dria slid on the uniform. It was skin tight but surprisingly comfortable and easy to move in. She wasn't so comfortable about there being no hood to cover her face, but no one would recognize her without a hood, it'd been decades since she went in public without covering her face. Even simple errand with Kitty and Rouge she wore a hood.

Dria caught a glimpse of her reflection in the darkened window. Her scars so prominent against her skin. In her street clothes, the scars stood out like they didn't belong. In her uniform, they seemed to fit better. She was supposed to be a hero. Heroes get battle scars. She lightly touched her face, running her finger tips over the raised edges beneath her eye.

XxxX

Xavier sat in front of the bay window in his office looking around the room at his X-Men. He was giving the orders out when Dria snuck in late. "… will go to the city park and deal with the Brotherhood. Now go, and be safe," he concluded. Dria had missed the part on what she was supposed to do. All she knew was Wolverine was in charge of her so she must have to go with him.

Everyone except Xavier went out into the hall the dispersed to their separate modes of transportation. "You were late," Wolverine snarled. "Why?" She shrugged, her hand subconsciously went to her scars. Wolverine softened for a moment but quickly regained his composure. "Know how to ride a bike?"

Moments later the pair was off on a set of motorcycles heading for the museum. "So what are we doing?" she called over the roar of the engines, someone with normal hearing wouldn't be able to make out the conversation over the noise.

"Stopping Magneto from getting what he wants."

"And that is…?"

"Don't know, but if he's going to these lengths to get it, we can't let him have it." Dria thought about how Magneto was sending the Brotherhood to terrorize the large city park and his Acolytes to do the same to a subway station.

"Who will we be dealing with?"

"If it's theft, its gotta be Gambit." They parked a few blocks away. Dria pulled off her helmet and let her long black hair fall out of her helmet around her. It was the first time Wolverine noticed Dria in her uniform. Tight black pants hugged her body and rode low on her hips. Black biker boots with silver buckles ran up her shins and ended above her knees. A long-sleeved top shelled her arms and covered her chest, ending at her diaphragm, leaving her pale stomach exposed. The neckline dipped below her collar bone and drew his eye to the red X emblem on her left breast. She wore black leather finger-less gloves and the silver chain that always adorned her neck.

Dria caught him staring and smirked. "See something you like?" she taunted. Wolverine growled but otherwise ignored the comment and walked passed her towards the museum. "You're not so bad looking in that uniform yourself," she said as he walked passed.

XxxX

Once on top of the museum roof, Wolverine popped a claw to cut an opening into the skylight just big enough for them to get through. "Ladies first," Dria teased and leapt nimbly through the opening, landing softly on her feet two stories below. She scanned the area and smelled the air for anyone. No one on this level, though she could hear the snores of a sleeping night watchmen on the level beneath her. The air stirred to her right, her head snapped in that direction. She stalked over cautiously out of the lumination of the skylight. Now she could smell someone. If she knew Gambit's scent she could judge on whether it was him or not. As it was, the smell meant nothing. It could be this is the guard's scent and had been here not long ago. Still, she was on her guard.

Feeling the air behind her move she whirled around. A large hand covered her mouth from behind her and a long arm wrap around her middle, pinning her arms to her sides. She heard a man 'shhhh' her quietly next to her ear. She growled and struggled, kicking back at her captor's legs. Whoever he was, he was good, and that pissed her off. She picked up her legs and kicked off from his thighs, sending her flipping forward out of his grasp. She heard Wolverine land where she had when she entered. Dria got a glimpse of her captor before he disappeared into the shadows. He was tall man easily over six foot. He was handsome with shaggy red-brown hair and scruff. His eyes were hypnotic, black with red iris. Slim but well-built, the man wore a trench coat and carried a staff.

"Come on," Wolverine snarled quietly, running towards a archway. Dria felt as if she'd been snapped out of a trance as she quickly followed Wolverine. The archway opened into an Egyptian exhibit. She was briefly struck by the artifacts as they entered. She listened and smelled the air. He had come this way. They ran through another passage to a Roman exhibit. His scent was all over this room, she couldn't pinpoint it. Wolverine went off to the left, Dria off to the right.

Dria wandered along pillars and a scale model of the Roman Coliseum. Some places smelled stronger than others, but those came and went all over the room. He was jumping around to keep them confused and unable to rely on scent. This was an internal room of the museum so the only light came from a red security light in the corner meant only to keep guards from running into anything on rounds and nothing more. Dria wasn't bother by the dark, she could see fine, she was sure Wolverine was handling as well. She didn't know if her opponent could see, however. The dark could be to her advantage, or the lack of knowledge of his sight could be a disadvantage.

She was looking near a mannequin in Roman armor when what sounded like a bomb going off in the streets rattled the building. She saw Wolverine take off, she guessed that knew the nearest exist and was going to investigate. When Dria made to follow she heard a thick accent whisper, "Hello, chère." That large hand clamped over her mouth again, this time with a rag covering her mouth and nose. Fumes invades her nostrils and throat. She struggled but her brain wasn't receiving oxygen anymore. Struggling with muscles that lack oxygen is an exercise in futility. Still, Dria struggled as the blackness crept around the edges of her vision before it eventually swallowed her.

XxxX

Wolverine ran through the front door of the museum to be greeted by the sight of an overturned subway train burning in the middle of a torn up street. Its tail end was still in the nearest entrance to the subway. Pyro was enjoying setting each of the subway cars ablaze. Storm was in the sky conjuring a downpour to counter the flames. Beast was locked in combat with the huge Russian, Colossus. Wolverine caught sight of Sabertooth stalking around the wreckage. Wolverine's head snapped to his side to look for Dria. She wasn't there. He scanned the area around Sabertooth, she wasn't there stalking or running at him. He kept looking but she was nowhere. Had she stayed inside to deal with Gambit? He hoped so because he didn't have time to look for her, Sabertooth was charging him.

Sabertooth lunged, Wolverine blocked and popped his claws. "Where's your new bitch? Aren't you supposed to be holding the leash?" Sabertooth taunted as he threw a claw at Wolverine's throat. His mind went to Dria. She was alone. They had already known that the Acolytes and Brotherhood had been sent out as distractions, it hadn't occurred to Wolverine that it could also have been to dwindle the X-Men's numbers. The kids were all together facing the Brotherhood. The older X-Men were here, fighting the Acolytes. But so was Wolverine. Dria was the only one alone and he had left her with an opponent she didn't know. One who was known to be able to steal anything, including… Sabertooth caught the look on Wolverine's face and laughed. "That's right, Wolverine. Your bitch is ours."

A metal orb shot out of the museum as Sabertooth laughed. Three open orbs arrived for the other Acolytes who, obediently and quickly, got in and took off.

XxxX

With her healing factor, Dria recovered from the fumes quickly. She had woken many times, only to be put back down while she was still groggy. When she had woken, all she saw was an arched metal ceiling and walls. Now when she woke, she wasn't put back down. It was a flat metal ceiling and walls now, and she lay on a cold metal floor rather than in the tall man's arms. Slowly sitting up, she shook her head to clear it. Looking around she saw she was in a cell. It was basically a metal cube, eight foot by eight foot by eight foot. One wall was made out of thick metal bars, she looked out the bars to see a metal hallway. There was a single light on the ceiling above her, and evenly spaced ones in the hall.

Dria stood and got in a readied stance as she heard footsteps in the hall. A man in a cape and helmet appeared in front of the bars. "Hello, my dear."

"Eric, what is this about? What am I in a cage?" she hissed.

Magneto looked her over as if he just realized who she was. "Alexandria. Is that you? My apologies," he said. The bars bent to open for her. She climbed out into the hall. "You are an X-Man now."

"Sort of. I've developed a few anger issues," she said indifferently. It bothered to have to have her guard up around a friend she knew nearly as long as Charles.

"Come, let me show you my home," he said leading her down the hall. He led her through a mansion that was seemingly made entirely of metal. "Ah, here is Gambit. I believe you two have already met." Dria growled at the red-eyed man.

"Now that this little… misunderstanding is taken care of, I need to get back to Charles. He'll be worried," she said glaring down Gambit.

"Nonsense. You and I need to catch up. I'll go inform Charles you are safe and will return before long." Magneto left. Whether it was really to contact Charles or not was yet to be seen.

"Well, nice meeting you, Gambit. I'm out," Dria said turning on a heel and walking down the hall.

Gambit followed close behind and stepped in her path. "You won't get far, chère," he warned.

She put her hands on her hips. "And why's that?"

"De boss don' want you going anywhere."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. I've know Eric for fifty-some years. I know when he's up to something. That's why I'm leaving now."

"Fifty years, chère? You look pretty good for fifty," he smirked.

She chuckled, "You're not hard on the eyes either, bub. But I gotta go," she said putting a hand on his chest and gently pushing him aside to walk passed. He was amusing and she had nothing against him, but there was a reason Eric didn't want her to go and she didn't want to stick around to find out.

XxxX

Wolverine glared incessantly at the door to Cerebro and growled impatiently. What was taking Chuck so damn long? Minutes ticked by slowly. Xavier finally emerged.

He didn't look happy.

"It is as I feared. She is in the hands of Magneto. He has a way of… blocking telepathy."

Wolverine snarled. "Fine. Now we do this _my_ way," he growled and popped his claws.

XxxX

(not as long as it usually is but I've been busy with life and I just had to get _something_ up. Everything has slowed down so hopefully I can start getting chapters up in a more timely manner)


	5. Chapter 5

"Wolverine?" Dria woke groggy. Her head felt heavy and her eyes felt sealed shut. With a tremendous amount of effort, she lifted her head and pried her eyes open. She was back in the metal cell. What had happened? She roughly wiped at her eyes and reflected on the last thing she could remember.

XxxX

She had left Gambit and was wandering around the halls, looking for a door. When Dria finally found a large metal door flanked by two thin windows, she went to open it but was surrounded by two large metal arms. She snarled and struggled.

"Well, look what we got here," came a thick Australian accent. A man with orange hair walked around towards her face playing with a lighter. "What's the sheila doin' out here?" He said looking behind her. Dria braced her feet on the ground

"De boss let her out. Der old friends, so play nice," she heard Gambit's voice from somewhere behind her. Black hair hung in Dria's face like a shaggy curtain. Her nose picked up a familiar and unwelcome scent.

"Let me go," her voice was low and calm. It was eerie. Gambit walked around towards Pyro to get a look at her face. "Let me go, now." Looking closer, Gambit could see her body was trembling.

"Colossus, let de femme go," Gambit said.

"Oy, why? The boss wants 'er here." Pyro asked.

"Let de femme go. Der's somet'ing wrong."

"Ain't nothing wrong, mate. She's faking.

"Let me go, now," her voice now had a rumble behind it.

"What is this about?" came Magneto's voice.

"The sheila was trying to leave."

"Is this true?" Magneto asked. The scent was much stronger now, her fists were clenched tight enough that her nails broke the skin of her palms.

"No. I was giving de femme a tour. She got a little ahead of me. Colossus didn't know she was a friend and t'ought she was escaping. Pyro here still don get it,' Gambit defended.

"Let me go," her voice now a cross between a hiss and a whisper. Magneto nodded and the arms released her. She turned mechanically towards Magneto and saw, standing by his right, a smirking Sabertooth. Dria pulled her lips back in a snarl, exposing her snake-like fangs.

"Come and get it, little girl," he taunted. She lunged and everything went black.

XxxX

Her eyes adjusted to the light as she sobered. She could hear footsteps and stood, readying herself. Magneto and Gambit appeared in front of her cell. "Eric," she hissed.

"I'm sorry, my dear. I can't have you leaving just yet," he said calmly.

"What do you want?"

"Your venom. It's very powerful. It did quite a number on Sabertooth." Dria hissed at the name.

"Why is that monster working for you?" she spat.

"He is useful and quite obedient," he informed. "Gambit here will be taking care of you." With that, Magneto left.

"So you're my keeper or something?" she snarled, sitting down roughly on her cot.

"Somet'ing like dat," came the thick Cajun drawl.

"Why you?"

Gambit smirked. "You tink Gambit can't handle you, chère?" Dria scoffed. "I volunteered. Figured you rather have Gambit dan Sabertooth, non?" She snarled at the name again. "Mos people got a problem wit 'im. You seem to have some bad history wit 'im."

"That's an understatement," she hissed, focusing on her lap.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

"I've never told anyone. Why should I tell you?" she asked defensively.

"Cause we got all de time in de world down 'ere, chère. What else you got to do?" There was something hypnotically calming about his voice. Dria looked over at him and saw he was leaning his side against the bars, watching her intently with those red and black eyes. Her own red eyes went back to her lap.

"What about dem scars, chère. You heal, non?"

Her hand went to her face. "That's the same story."

"You can tell me, chère. Remy won say a word," he said gently. She looked up at him and he made the locking his lips gesture. Dria felt like telling him. She didn't know why. His voice was so calming.

Dria sighed. "A while ago, forty or something years back, HYDRA captured me and kept me in a lab. They wanted to weaponize my venom, stop mutants' powers permanently. They'd test the batches on me. It was easy to see if it worked. Inject me then come back in an hour and shoot me. If I healed, it didn't work," she shrugged. "Sabertooth worked for them at the time. Don't know how they roped him in. I think he just likes killing, doesn't matter who it's for. Anyway, HYDRA started injecting round after round so that it wouldn't have a chance to wear off, higher doses, all that. Eventually, I wouldn't be able to heal for days," she paused. "They didn't always shoot me, or cut me. Sometime they sent Sabertooth in to use me as a punching bag. A treat when their pet was good," Dria scoffed. "One evening I was strapped down for a particularly large dose. They scientists, or whoever, shoved about fifteen needles into me. It knocked me out pretty bad. Five hours later and all I could do was move my eyes, fingers and toes. A few hours after that, they sent in Sabertooth. I guess he was bored tossing around a drugged up rag doll." Her fists clenched and drew blood from her palms. "He clawed my face, gave me this," she pointed to her scar. "The force knocked me out. I was so _weak_," she spat the word. "I woke up halfway through. I struggled as much as I could but I could hardly lift my arms." Dria was trembling in fury at this point. "They kept me on doses to see if they could keep my powers down long enough for something to heal at a natural pace. They could, I scarred up. They took more venom to make another batch. It takes them about a month or two to make a batch and they were running low. When they came in to strap me down, they had waited too long to give me another dose. "She smiled wickedly. "I enjoyed tearing out their throats."

Gambit was silent for a minute. Finally he said, "I'm getting you out of here."

Dria cocked her head. "What?"

"I'm getting you out of here, chère."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"A petit femme don need to go t'rough dat once, let alone twice. Gambit gunna get you out before Sabertooth do somet'ing stupid or de boss uses you," he said. "I'll be back tonight to get you out of here."

XxxX

Wolverine snarled impatiently. He had suggested that he go to the Brotherhood's house to have a little 'talk' with them to see if any of them knew where Magneto's place was. He paced the common room like a caged animal. Chuck had said no, that the Brotherhood were only kids. So he sent the younger X-Men to deal with them. Wolverine was awaiting their return. They had left over two hours ago.

His ears perked up when he heard several sets of feet running for the room he was in. He turned and watched as the students came into the room. "None of them knew anything except Pietro," Cyclops explained. "Jean tried to read his mind but all she got was a metal mansion in a forest. Nothing specific."

"Good enough," Wolverine growled. He was gone within a minute on his motorcycle with a team in the Blackbird and another in one of the X cars. Each headed to a different forest around the city.

XxxX

Dria lay in the cot, pretending to sleep. She had no clue what time of day it was. There were no windows, clocks, or anything to indicate time. She didn't even know what time it had been when Gambit left. It could have been evening or early morning for all she knew. Time was achingly slow. She was restless, fidgety. But she didn't want there to be a camera watching and for it to see she was antsy about something.

After what seemed like an eternity, she heard the soft click of her cell's lock. She looked up and saw Gambit slowly sliding the door open so it would make any noise. He walked noiselessly over to her. He spoke is a hushed tone. "I paused de surveillance so every'ing look like it de same. You got t'ree minutes to get out. All de doors are unlocked. Go left after dis hall and go straight till you reach windows. Get to de forest and run." He handed her a black jacket. "It's raining," he explained when she looked at it confused. Still being in her uniform, she appreciated the cover.

"Thank you, Gambit," she whispered.

"Remy," he said with a soft smile.

"Remy," she said with a smile of her own. She rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek before taking off silently down the hall. She paused at the end, looking and listening for any movement. When she heard none, Dria took off again.

When she finally arrived at some windows, she noticed she was on the third or fourth floor. She searched for the window for a way to open it but it was a stationary window. She followed along the hall, checking the windows. All were sealed. But she did find a staircase. She fled down it to the next level. The windows opened here. She slid one open and checked around. She only had about another minute before everything turned back on.

Dria leapt to the grass three stories down and bolted for the trees, any sound being made by her footsteps falling silent against the padding of the rain. She pulled the hood of the jacket Remy had given her tight over her head and she weaved through the branches. She hoped that Magneto didn't have any surveillance cameras this far away from the mansion because her three minutes were up about a minute ago.

She rand through the forest for about ten miles before coming to a road. She slowed her pace and jogged along the side of the road in the direction away from Magneto's. Dria didn't know where she was or where this road led, but she followed it.

After nearly an hour of jogging, she had begun to walk. And after another hour of walking, the sky had begun to lighten. Through the trees she could see the horizon turn orange. The road rose up on a hill, once at its peak, she surveyed the area. The tree tops were at her ankles and a sea of green spread around her in all directions. The road lay like a scar on the green face. From the hill, she could see that there was a city on the horizon in front of her at the end of the road. It was probably a good forty miles ahead. Dria sighed, it'd take her all day to reach the city. Maybe if a car came by she could hitch a ride.

Dria had walked another ten miles and the sun was high in the sky, the trees surrounding her dripped quietly from the rain the night before. Hearing something like a quiet plane above her, she looked up but saw nothing. After a minute of red eyes searching the cloudy sky, a sleek black jet descended from the high in the clouds. It was the Blackbird. Dria smiled at the familiar sight and waved up to them. The jet waited a moment before flying off. It had gone the same direction she had been going along the road, so she continued to follow. Dria hoped they had flown off to find a place to land.

She continued to walk for another fifteen or so miles. She was slowing, growing very tired. Dria hadn't slept sine she had blacked out attacking Sabertooth nearly forty hours ago. She had been running and walking for about the last fourteen. Gambit had released her around two in the morning. By the sun, she figured it was about four or five in the afternoon. Even though Dria could heal at a rapid rate, she needed water. She hadn't eaten or drunk anything while at Magneto's. The only thing she had going for herself was that the cloth of the uniform breathed well and her biker boots were supportive. Dria licked her lips that cracked and healed.

Dria heard an engine. Mentally she was fading so she couldn't tell what kind of engine or how far it was from her. She closed her eyes to try to focus, but the weight of her eyelids sent her knees buckling. There was a ringing in her ears as she fell to her knees. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes again.

They were so heavy.

Dria felt thin arms surround her, felt her body being lifted then the smell of sulfur. A few moments of darkness and ringing later, she felt herself being laid down on something stiff but cushioned. Her head was raised and a bottle put to her mouth. Water spilled over her lips as she drank it sloppily. She felt the cool liquid run over her chin and down her neck before cutting a thin stream between her breasts. She coughed and fought to open her eyes.

"Is she awake?"

"Wolverine is going to kill us."

"There was nowhere closer to land. It's not our fault."

"Still, if he sees her like this, he'll flip."

Dria brought a hand to her head. As her view came into focus. She had Kurt, Kitty, and Jean standing around her. She could hear Scott at the wheel. Looking around she saw she was laying on a padded bench in the back of the Blackbird.

"Drink more water," Jean offered, handing the bottle to her. She drank in large gulps, trying to hydrate her body. "We'll be back at the mansion in a few minutes." Dria coughed. Soon enough she could feel the jet descend. Once on the ground, Kurt and Scott helped Dria to her feet and walked her out, one on each side.

XxxX

Wolverine stood with arms crossed next to Xavier, Beast, and Storm. He waited impatiently, watched the jet land a little unsurely, Scott was still learning but he did fine. He growled in frustration as Kitty and Jean came down the ramp with worried expressions. At the bottom, they turned and looked back up into the jet. Relief washed over him as Wolverine saw Elf and Scott helped a weak Alexandria down the ramp. He waited, keeping his composure, as they walked towards him.

"We saw her walking along a road in the forest south of town," Scott explained. "I had problems finding a place to land."

"She's dehydrated," Jean added. "We've given her some water."

"Will she be ok?" Kitty asked worried.

Beast stepped closer and looked her over. "She needs rest, a good meal, and plenty of water. She'll be fine by morning," he assured.

Dria lifted her head and peered at Wolverine through the curtain of black hair. "Why so worried, old man?" she teased with a weak smirk.

"He's been getting after everyone to find you," Kurt said.

Wolverine snarled. "Watch it, Elf."

Dria chuckled. "So protective."

"Shut it and go get some sleep," he growled. Xavier gave him a sideways glance.

"On it," Kurt said and poofed her out of the room.

Kitty stared down Wolverine. She crossed her arms and smirked knowingly. Wolverine snarled and turned his attention to Scott. "Time for a talk about landings," he growled, walking out of the room. Scott looked to the other students who gave him sympathetic looks. He sighed and followed Wolverine.


	6. Chapter 6

Alexandria had been sleeping for several hours. When she woke, it was pitch black outside her window. After a moment she realized she was in her own bed, and she was _starving_. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she slowly stood. Realizing she was still in her uniform, Dria went to her dresser and stripped down before tossing on black pajama pants and a tight black tank top.

Walking quietly down the hall, Dria guessed it must be late since the halls were empty. Once in the kitchen, Dria started digging through the fridge and gathered things to make a sandwich. She finished making her sandwich and heard a "Shouldn't you be resting?" from the doorway. She turned and saw Wolverine with his arms crossed over his bare chest.

"Nice to see you too, big guy," she said before taking a huge mouthful of sandwich.

"You should be in bed," he growled.

"So should you … I think. What time is it?" she asked, taking another large bite.

"2:30 in the morning."

Dria nodded. "So why are you up?"

"I heard someone in the kitchen."

"Do you investigate every noise at night?" she teased, eating another portion of the sandwich.

"When it sounds like someone sneaking around, yes," he growled.

"You worry too much," she said, finishing her sandwich off. "Happy to see me?" it was half statement. Wolverine scoffed. "Come on, old man. I heard Kurt say you were after everyone to find me," she teased.

"You're my responsibility," he growled.

"Responsibility? That's it?" she asked walking towards him. He nodded sternly. "That's all I am?" Wolverine growled, getting agitated. She was standing right in front of him now, staring him down. "It wasn't how protective you get? Or maybe…" she trailed off.

"What?" he snarled. He was getting pissed that someone was getting in his face, he normally never allowed it and would retaliate physically against such an annoyance. Dria just stared him down. Wolverine grabbed her forearms roughly. Alexandria stood her ground and stared at him, unmoving. Wolverine growled threateningly at her. He abruptly dipped his head and captured her lips. Dria was shocked for a moment. Wolverine pulled back, she hadn't returned the kiss. It made him feel stupid, and that pissed him off.

He turned to leave. Dria put a hand on his shoulder. "Logan?"

"What?" he snapped, not realizing she had used his name. She walked to his front and slid the hand from his shoulder behind his neck. Dria urged his head forward and lay her lips on his in a soft kiss. Wolverine put his hands on her waist and pulled her body against his. He kissed her hungrily and she returned it with all the gentleness that was foreign to Wolverine. Dria rested her head against Wolverine's warm chest. She slowly ran her hands down the bare skin and gently pushed herself back from Wolverine.

"Get some sleep, big guy," she said softly. Wolverine watched her as she turned and walked away into the darkness.

XxxX

The next day, Dria watched Wolverine lecture the students in the Danger Room. The Professor entered the room. "Alexandria?"

"Hi, Charles," she said turning her attention to Xavier.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Thank you."

"That's good to hear. Do you know what it is that Eric wanted from you?"

She nodded. "My venom. Probably to weaponize it." Xavier nodded thoughtfully.

"Hey, kid. How you feelin'?"

"Good. How are the kids doing today?"

He scoffed. "Distracted. They keep buggin' me about some end of the school year party they want to throw.

"What kind of party?" Dria asked.

He shrugged. "Dancing, music, punch."

"Where would they hold it?" asked Xavier.

"Here."

"Hm, bringing guests to the Institute could be dangerous. But I'll consider it."

"Chuck, having that many kids running around… one of them could find something they aren't supposed to see." Wolverine protested.

"If everything gets locked up tight and we chaperone, they could have their party," Dria said.

"Why are you always on the kids' side?" Wolverine growled.

"Alexandria always supports what she believes is best. Including not reporting two students publicly using their powers when they should be in school," Xavier said with a smile.

Dria chuckled. "Why didn't you get after Kitty and Rogue if you knew?"

"The same reason you didn't turn them in to me. Now, why do you believe they should have this party?"

"It'll give them a sense of normalcy. And it could take away some of the mystery that surrounds the mansion. Some of the kids are given a really hard time because they go here."

"I still don't like it," Wolverine snarled.

Dria tugged Wolverine's shirt. "Come on, big guy. Loosen up." Wolverine's features soften slightly, this didn't go unnoticed by Xavier.

"I'll consider the party," Xavier said dismissing himself.

"A party is bad idea."

"You're no fun," Dria teased.

"You weren't saying that last night," Wolverine said, putting his hands on her waist. Dria leaned closer.

"Go finish your class, big guy," she said before pushing herself away and walking from the room. Wolverine smiled slightly before turning to the windows overlooking the Danger Room. If she wanted to play hard to get, that was fine with him.

XxxX

Dria sat in a chair in the Professor's office, she had one leg crossed over the other as she talked with the Professor. "Honestly, I'm more worried about students wandering off to their rooms during the party rather than any of them stumbling on X-Men equipment." Xavier thought this over. Dria continued, "If we lock everything up and keep the kids generally herded in the kitchen and living room, we shouldn't have a problem."

"You still pushin' this party?" Wolverine growled from the doorway.

"Yes. I believe if handled properly, the students can have their party," Xavier said. Dria smiled.

"They'll be excited to here that. Thank you, Charles." Dria walked passed Wolverine who glared after her.

As Dria walked down the hall, Kitty ran up to her. "What'd the Professor say?"

"He said you can have the party." Kitty squealed at a pitch that made Dria's ears hurt. "But, everything gets locked up tight and guests stay in the kitchen and living room. We can't have civilian's wandering around. And we're chaperoning." This lessened Kitty's excitement.

"Chaperones?" she groaned.

Dria nodded. "No way you're having a party without chaperones," she said sternly.

"Well, still. This will be awesome," Kitty said before running off.

Dria smiled at her enthusiasm. "You're gunna be the death of me," Wolverine growled behind her.

Dria rolled her eyes. "Come on, old man. I think it'd fun to see you cut loose and dance a little," she teased.

"I don't dance," he snarled. She bumped him with her hip, Wolverine smirked. She saw Kitty motioning for her to come over.

"I'll see you later, big guy," she said going to join Kitty. A moment later Dria was back with Kitty. "I need the keys."

"Why?" he asked folding his arms.

"We're going to get stuff, like, for the party," Kitty chirped. Wolverine sighed and handed them over.

"Thanks, big guy," Dria said as Kitty ran off. Dria gave Wolverine a kiss on the cheek before joining Kitty who had recruited Jean and Jubilee. The four piled into the car and headed off to the nearest supermarket for party snacks and soda. After getting various chips, dips, and pops, the three girls insisted to Dria that they should go to the mall and look for party clothes. With nothing better to do, Dria drove them and was now with the trio in a trendy clothing store.

Dria looked around, not too impressed with the selection. The trio were in dressing rooms, trying on some of their selections. Kitty emerged in a short light blue skirt and a dark purple blouse. "Ta-dah!" she said with a twirl.

Jubilee emerged in tight dark blue pants and an orange halter top. Jean came out in an emerald cocktail dress with a thick brown belt around her waist. "Aren't you going to try something on?" Jubilee asked Dria.

She chuckled. "I have plenty of party clothes at home. I was a singer in a metal band remember? Are those the outfits you're getting?" They nodded. "Ok, let's pay and get out of here. The mall is going to close pretty soon and it's a school night," Dria said checking her phone and seeing it was a quarter till nine. When they emerged from the store, the mall was mostly empty except for the workers. The four went out to the parking lot. "What the…" Dria started when she saw their car. When the got closer she growled. "Tires are slashed."

"What? No way," Kitty said rushing to get a better look.

Dria sighed and pulled out her phone. She called the mansion. "What?" came the gruff response of Wolverine.

"You always this pleasant on the phone?"

"What is it, kid?"

"Our tires have been slashed. Could you pick us up?"

"Your tires were slashed?" he growled.

"Yep."

"On my way," he snarled before the line went dead.

"Well, Wolverine is on his way and he's not happy," she said shutting her phone and pocketing it.

A few minutes later, Kitty and Jean were sitting in the car with their feet hanging out, Jubilee was lounging on the roof of the car, and Dria was leaning against the hood. "Well, look what we got here," came a young male's voice.

"Ugh, Lance. What are you doing here?" came Kitty's agitated voice. Dria turned and saw a tall youth with brown hair standing with his arms crossed along with a rather large teen and a small sickly green kid.

"We're cleaning up Toad's stupid prank." The small green boy cringed.

"_You_ slashed our tires?" Jubilee accused. She hoped from the top of the car to get in their face. Dria watched half amused by the teens' squabbling.

Dria whistled, all the kids paused. "Enough," she snapped, walking over to the mob of kids. She stood between the two groups.

"Who the hell are you?" Lance growled.

"You boys need to go do homework or something," she said sternly.

"Just get out of here, Lance," Kitty said.

He glared at Dria before turning to Kitty. "How about a ride? You're stuck here."

"Wolverine is on his way," Dria informed. She heard the sound of a car before seeing headlights close in. "Speak of the devil." Lance gave one last glare before the trio made their way back to their own car and taking off.

Wolverine put the car in park and got out. He glared after the place where the three boys had been. "Get in," he snarled. The girls piled in quietly.

Dria put a hand on Wolverine's arm. "Thanks, old man." His eyes soften but he remained stoic. The ride home was quiet. Once back at the mansion, the girls headed inside with their purchases. Dria stopped Wolverine in the garage. "You're quite intimidating, big guy," she teased.

"What are you talking about?" he growled.

"Those kids didn't leave until they heard you were on your way."

"I have a reputation, kid."

"Any of it true?" Wolverine nodded. "Thanks for the ride, Wolverine," she said, reaching up and kissing his cheek. As she pulled away, Wolverine caught the back of her head with one of his hands and brought her lips to his. Dria's hands rested on his broad chest while Wolverine's other hand held her around the waist. Wolverine's kiss became hungry as he clutched Dria close to his body. She shoved him against the nearest wall and returned his passion in her kiss. He growled hungrily and clutched her body to his.

Alexandria pulled away and kissed Wolverine's cheek before stepping back. Before he had a chance to ask what she was doing, Scott came bounding through the door. "Three Sentinels are tearing apart downtown looking for mutants."

"Let's go," Dria said.

"No, you're staying here," Wolverine growled.

"The Hell I am," she snarled.

"You're staying, kid. That's final," Wolverine napped before running off with Cyclops. Dria went to her room and waited till she saw the X-Jet take off. Quickly slipping into her uniform. She made her way back to the garage, hopped on Wolverine's motorcycle and took off towards downtown and the smell of smoke.

XxxX

So, I have no idea why I've been mixing up centennial with sentinel. They mean completely different things. Thanks Kairan1979 for pointing that out.


	7. Chapter 7

Alexandria rode up on a scene of chaos and devastation. Civilians ran yelling in the various directions away from the center of the action. Three sentinels were looming over, shooting at multiple targets. The X-Men were occupied with the trio of machines. Dria saw an MRD truck pull up to the scene as she parked in an alleyway a few blocks away. The street was cracked, broken, chunks thrown about in battle, like an asphalt mirror that was dropped on the floor. The sky was black and bubbling over from smoke. An office building and several cars were burning. Sirens were a constant wail in the distance, but only in the distance. All humans, including law enforcement, had long since evacuated the area and were staying away.

Dria snarled as she saw an MRD agent trying to sneak up behind Kitty, using the fight as a distraction. She charged the anonymous agent and tackled him from the side. Kitty gasped and whirled around when she heard the thud. Dria grabbed the helmet and slammed it against the ground, hard enough to hit the agent's head against the side of the helmet and knock him out. "Don't forget to watch your back," Dria instructed and ran at the next agent. She ducked a shot and ran low at the agent that fired. She grabbed his gun with one hand and slammed her other fist into the soft center of his inner elbow. He yelled out and dropped the gun into her possession. She pointed it at the agent's throat. "What's in this?" she snarled. When no answer came, she repeated the question with the barrel jammed against his jugular.

"Tranquilizer," he yelped out.

"Lucky you," she growled and pulled the trigger. She looked around and realized she wouldn't be able to make the small gap between the armor and helmets on the agents from a distance. Dria saw Kurt appear on a nearby overturned car. "Nightcrawler, get their helmets off," she shouted. He turned and saw her holding one of their weapons and disappeared, reappearing on one's shoulders before vanishing with their helmet. Dria aimed and shot, hitting the agent just below the ear. Not exactly where she had been aiming, but it worked, the agent fell limp. Dria and Kurt repeated this routine three more times before the agents finally caught on. This time when Kurt appeared on one's shoulders, another agent shot Kurt. Dria ran at the agent that shot him and rammed the butt of the gun into the agent's stomach. He doubled over and she shot him in the back of the neck.

Dria crouched beside Nightcrawler to shield him from the MRD agents. She shot down anyone who got close enough for her to hit her small target on the neck. She caught a dart in her shoulder and hissed as she pulled it out. With her healing factor the tranquilizer was virtually useless. It would take a lot more to affect her. Unfortunately, the MRD _did_ have a lot more. Round after round broke her skin as agents surrounded her and Kurt. Dria hissed and dropped a few agents before her vision became to blurry to aim. The booming sound of the battle was lost against the hollow noise of nothing against her ear drums. Her mind was fading as several more rounds pounded into her veins.

The MRD circle tightened before three agents came forward to take Dria and Kurt. She felt herself being hoisted up as she reached for Nightcrawler to no avail. She felt more needles penetrate before everything went black.

XxxX

Rogue whirled when she heard gunfire to her left. She saw Nightcrawler on the ground and Dria crouched beside him, shooting at MRD agents that she hadn't even known were there. Rogue saw the gunfire rain down on Dria, who after dozens, was still shooting. Rogue yelled out to the nearest X-Men and pointed to the surrounded pair. Slipping off a glove, Rogue ran at the mob as Dria's and Nightcrawler's bodies were being hoisted up and taken to a truck. The truck doors slammed by the time Spyke, Scott and Rogue charged the mob. Shortly after the truck with Kurt and Dria left, so did the other MRD trucks and the sentinels. The fight was over quicker than it began.

The X-Men congregated and silently surveyed the damage. When Wolverine joined the group he ordered, "Roll call."

"They got Bobby," Amara said, her voice at a high frequency from worry.

"Roberto too," Rahne said saddened.

Wolverine looked around. "Where's the elf?"

"Taken," Rogue said then looked up from her feet. "Dria too."

XxxX

"Dria? Miss Alexandria?" Dria was woken by the sound of a lightly accented voice calling her. The sound seemed close but a slight echo gave it distance.

"Kurt?" she groan, opening her eyes. 'Ugh, how much of that shit did they pump me with?' she thought as she grabbed her head. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. In cells somewhere. I can't teleport out." Dria blinked her eyes open and saw she was in a standard looking cell with a not so standard looking fourth wall. Where normally there were bars, fluorescent green beams stood. She walked up to them and could see Kurt's blue hand waving through the green bars of the cell beside her. "I have these green things are everywhere in my cell."

Cautiously, Dria reached out and touched one of them. It sent a shock through her arm. The voltage was enough that it split her finger open to the bone. She stuck her hand out between the bars to show Kurt before it healed. "Does yours do this?"

She heard him gasp. "Not nearly that bad. I can teleport in my cell, if I try to go out, it shocks me. But I don't get burned… or split open," he groaned. Dria's finger had knit itself back together.

"Is anyone else we know in here?" she asked.

"Not that I know of. But maybe they haven't woken up yet. I haven't been up that long." The place was dimly lit. Five yards from the front of her cell, she could see the glowing front of another cell. Two rows facing each other in a cement hallway.

"I think each of the cells are adjusted to our powers," she informed.

"We've got to get…"

"Kurt? Is that you?" came a voice across the hall.

"Bobby?" Nightcrawler answered.

"Bobby, do you know who else is here?" Dria asked.

"I saw them take Rob before they got me," he answered.

"Is that all?"

"From what I know. But I didn't know they got you two." Dria heard a door squeak open and two sets of heavy footsteps getting closer. She heard a clatter, then another and another. Each clatter getting closer and closer till she heard Bobby say, "What's this?"

"Dinner," came a growling voice.

A tray was tossed to the floor of Kurt's cell. "More 'an you freaks deserve," came a gruff voice outside of her cell. Dria hissed and bore her fangs, fully elongated at the uniformed man in front of her. He glared at her in disgust. She let venom drip onto her tongue and spit it at the MRD agent. He jumped back. "Bitch," he snarled. She hissed at him. He tossed the tray meant for her on the floor, spilling its slop on the floor. "Oops," he said and chuckled.

After the pair of agents left Dria heard Bobby say, "Is this stuff safe?" Dria looked over the overturned glob of food. She kneeled down and sniffed at it. It smelled sour in the wrong way.

"Don't eat it. It's stale and about to rot," she sniffed at it again. "It's not clean, it'll make you sick." She heard Kurt and Bobby shove their trays out of their cells. Dria heard a groan. "Roberto?"

"Here," he mumbled. "Where am I?"

"In an MRD building, in a cell. Don't touch the glowing bars. Ok boys, listen up."

XxxX

The next morning, or at least it felt like the next morning, two agents come in with trays of food. The men made their way down the symmetrical rows, cell by cell. Once one of the agents reached Alexandria's cell he paused. "Get up," he growled. There came no response. "I said get up," he said louder. Dria lay limp on the floor of her small cell. The man looked closer and realized her chest wasn't moving. "Hey, Tim. I don't think this one's breathing."

"Which one?"

"C6-387-D."

"The healing broad?"

"Yeah, that one." Tim had now walked over and joined his fellow agent.

"Go get a nurse," he leaned over to get a closer. Once the other agent was gone and Tim practically had his nose to the bars, Dria's hand shot through the bars, peeling the skin form the top of her hand. She grabbed onto the guard and pulled him into the bars. He let loose a blood curdling scream. Dria shoved him back from the bars after a split second, but the damage was severe. His helmet had been burned away in two parallel lines exposing the same pattern in third degree burns on his face. Tim was passed out and would probably be blind in his right eye. Reaching further out, gritting her teeth as the bars tore at her arm, she grabbed the keys from Tim's waist.

Dria cradled her arm a moment while the muscles in her arm grew back so that she could move her hand. Slipping it out again, she unlocked her cell. The electric green bars vanished. Putting the key in her undamaged hand, she unlocked Kurt's cell then Bobby's and Roberto's. "Check all the cells for others."

The four went separate ways to explore the cells. "There's one over here," Kurt called.

They all ran to the cell Kurt was at. Inside was a small girl of about thirteen with long bubblegum pink hair and colorful-iridescent wings. She was in the feudal position her head buried in her knees. Dria unlocked the cell. "What's your name, hun?" she asked, kneeling beside the girl.

The girl looked up with big shining black eyes. "Megan," she said timidly.

"I'm getting you out of here, Megan." Dria stood and held her hand out to the girl who timidly accepted it. With another student in tow, Dria unlocked the door and listened for guards. She heard Tim's partner returning. To her surprise, Megan stepped in front of Dria and when the guard came around she tossed what looked like glitter at him. The guard sneezed and walked right passed the group. Dria cocked her head and looked at the girl with pink hair before deciding to question later.

The group of five made it passed several more guards in this manner before sirens and red lights began flashing. Dria froze are surveyed her surroundings. They had done nothing to set the defenses off and they were in the middle of an empty hall. "Stay close," she ordered and led the students along various pathways. She was guessing which way was out based on guard positions. She paused as she caught a familiar scent. "Kitty," she called. Sure enough, Kitty phased through a wall beside Dria.

"Ohmigod, _there_ you are! The cells were empty," Kitty said frantically.

"Which way is out?" Dria asked.

"Follow me." Kitty bolted down an adjacent hall the opened into a vast room where Dria heard fighting. She saw that a group of X-Men were holding off MRD agents from the blackbird which was parked in the centre of the room below a rather large hole in the ceiling.

"In. Now!" Dria ordered, bringing up the rear. She made sure the four kids from her little group and Kitty were on before turning her attention to the scene. Putting two fingers to her lips she let out a shrill whistle and waved her arm. Getting the message, Beast, Spyke, Cyclopes and Jean filed quickly into the jet. Ororo remained in the air for some exit coverage.

Wolverine tossed an agent into a wall before making his way to the jet. He snarled at Dria and herded her onto the x-jet. They lifted off, door closing behind them. Ororo provided an intense fog for the ascension. Dria sat next to Megan who was looking around at all the new faces nervously. "This is Megan."

Wolverine glared at Alexandria with arms folded over his chest. "You are _so_ in trouble," Kitty whispered.

XxxX

Upon returning, Dria took Megan to see the professor. She learned that her name was Megan Gwynn a.k.a. Pixie. She could fly with her colorful wings and that 'glitter' she tossed at the guards was actually 'pixie dust' which causes hallucinations. Dria had showered her to her room and was headed back to her own when Wolverine stopped her outside her door.

"What the hell were you thinking," he snarled. Dria rolled her eyes and opened her door. "I told you to stay here."

"I'm not fragile, Wolverine. I heal same as you, I've lived through as much as you," she snapped. Either at a loss for words or not wanting to say what he had on his mind, Wolverine snarled and walked away. Alexandria snapped her door shut and leaned against it, sighing heavily. She had a feeling she just fucked up.

XxxX

Sorry it's been a while. Pixie is real. She's from the comics. Thought I'd throw her in. Comment and let me know what you think of the story please.


	8. Chapter 8

Fluff warning. There's definitely some in this chapter but it's rated M for a reason.

XxxX

Alexandria hadn't seen Wolverine all day. It was just before sunset as she pulled into the garage with Kitty, Jean, and Megan in tow. Kitty and Jean had taken over party planning and Alexandria had decided Megan should come and get to know some of the more extraverted girls. It turns out Megan is rather outgoing, but being thrown into a new school with dozens of new faces would make anyone shy. The girls had gone out for decorations.

Following the girls in, Dria put the keys on the kitchen counter since she wasn't expecting to see Wolverine. Kurt ran in "Logan has called a Danger Room session. Come on," he said rushed.

"Why, it's, like, seven," Kitty complained.

Kurt shrugged. "Say we need to be able to fight at any time, even on a full stomach," he added putting his hand to his stomach before teleporting away.

"Alright, let's go," Dria said, putting her bag on the kitchen counter.

"You're coming?" Jean asked.

"Yep. I could use a little workout and Megan needs someone to explain it to her."

"I'm coming?" she said surprised. "But I don't know what it is."

"It's ok. I'll explain on the way," Dria said leading the way.

XxxX

Wolverine waited with arms crossed, a brow raised a bit when he saw Dria enter with the girls but was quickly back to business. "Alright, two teams. Get to the other side, retrieve your flag, come back. First back wins. Green vs. blue." The students and Dria separated into two teams. Jubilee, Scott, Evan, Roberto, and Kurt were on the blue team. Kitty, Jean, Bobby, Megan, and Dria were on the green team. Once they were all in the Danger Room, a vast silver room transformed into a rocky mountainous wasteland. Wolverine's voice came over the intercom. "Go."

The kids bolted in different directions. Megan took to the sky with Jean. Dria took her time, the students were excited, it made them rush. Rushing makes you overlook things, like the now flying boulders with had begun to shoot lasers. She followed the green group. Helping but holing back, this was _their_ training session.

Scaling a cliff face, Dria felt a small rock hit the top of her head. Looking up, she saw Jubilee at the top with a handful of her exploding stones and smirk on her face. "Shit," Dria hissed as Jubilee tossed her handful on the edge of the cliff, sending a shower of dirt Dria's way before a rockslide careened down. Dria shoved her body away and flipped backward, avoiding the rocks but sending her free falling. Kurt was the one to see her falling. He teleported in, grabbed her, and teleported to the top of the cliff. "Thanks, elf," Dria said. He smiled and vanished.

In the end, it was Pixie that grabbed the green flag, Kurt the blue. Blue won by a split second. As the students pile through the doors into the main room where Wolverine was waiting. "Good session. Go do your homework." The kids groaned and filed out. "Nice catch, elf," Wolverine said as Kurt left. Dria waited for all the kids to leave. Wolverine went to leave as well. Dria crossed her arms and stood in the middle of the doorway. "Out of the way, kid," he growled.

"Listen, old man. I'm sorry for snapping at you last night. I know your protective and don't want to see me hurt. But I'm an X-Man now. I'm in this to help. Charles sent you to find me so I could help. This isn't the first time I've been caught, and it won't be the last. It actually happens a lot to me." Wolverine growled at this. "But I always make it out. Just because I'm scarred doesn't make me fragile."

"You disobeyed orders," he snarled. Dria relaxed her arms and let them drop to her sides. With a slight sigh, she turned and left. Wolverine watched her go. Now _he_ was the one that needed to apologize. He felt like an ass. She had nothing to apologize for but she had done it anyway. Wolverine walked into the hall, but she was long gone. He snarled an went to find her.

XxxX

Dria was on the balcony of her room, leaning over the railing and watching the sun set. She heard a knock at the door, she could smell that it was Wolverine. "Come in." The door opened and shut as he walked in. "Hey, big guy." He walked up beside her.

"Kid, I…" he trailed off.

She smirked. "It's ok, Wolverine," she said know he was attempting to say sorry. He wasn't an apologizing type.

"I over-reacted," he said, relieved that she understood.

"I know," she teased. "And I disobeyed orders," Dria said more seriously. "You're over-protective." He glared. "Lighten up, old man. The party is this Saturday." Wolverine growled, Dria laughed. "I would _pay_ to see the Wolverine dance. Although I'm sure the only dance you could do is in a mosh pit."

"You're gunna be the death of me," he sighed.

She smiled. "I know why you want to keep me safe, Logan." She turned and faced him.

"Why's that?" he asked, realizing she had used his name, as she stepped towards him.

"I'll wait for you to figure that out," She reached up and captured his lips. He wrapped his thick arms around her waist and pulled her into him. What had started as an innocent peck was now becoming heated. Dria ran her hands along his chest and abs. He growled hungrily as she teasingly tugged on the waist of his jeans. Wolverine bit the base of her neck and she hissed. Dria slid her hands under Wolverine's shirt and drug her nails down his flesh.

He shivered heatedly. "Kid, if you're starting something…"

"I am," she growled playfully and slid his shirt off. Wolverine smirked as she led him into her room. Wolverine went for Dria only to have her playfully push him back. She pulled off her shirt, revealing her pale stomach and a black lace bra. She turned her back to him and unhooked her bra, sliding it from her arms and letting it fall to the floor. She looked over her bare shoulder at Wolverine. He narrowed his eyes predatorily and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her shoulder as she leaned against his warm chest. Wolverine ran his large hands down her slim sides. Reaching his hands around to her front, he ran a warm hand over her stomach before undoing her black jeans. Dria shimmied them off then turned around in Wolverine's arms to face him. He took her in hungrily with his eyes.

Dria bit Wolverine's lower lip before capturing them again. Running her nails down his body she stopped at the top of his pants, running a single nail along the edge. Wolverine groaned lightly. "You're killing me with the teasin', kid."

She stroked his zipper. "We're just getting started," she growled, undoing his pants. Dria pushed them to the floor before backing Wolverine up to the bed. She smirked before biting into his neck. He growled and whirled her around, tossing her onto the bed. Within a second he was on top of her, looking like he wanted to devour her, it sent shivers cascading over her body. He lay his dense, muscled body over her and stole her lips. His passion was an enticing change from his normal stoic disposition. "Logan," she breathed against his lips. He popped a claw and cut her thong away. Dria wrapped her pale legs around his hips, she could feel every inch of him through the cloth of his boxer briefs. She practically purred as his rough hand stroked her soft breast.

Dria stroked him through the thin cloth separating them, making him larger and increased his hunger. The animal in both of them were straining at their leashes, wanting to be released. Dria slid his briefs down his thighs and wrapped her slid hand around his thick shaft and began to stroke his entire length. This was Wolverine's breaking point. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. Dria kissed him hungrily as he entered her. She panted and clawed Wolverine's back as he rode her. Dria bit into his shoulder when she climaxed. Wolverine followed shortly after, burying his head in her neck. After a minute of Wolverine's warm weight on Dria, he slid off and pulled her to his side. Dria draped a leg across his thighs and an arm across his chest while her head lay on his shoulder, her black hair was a fan behind her. "Wow," Dria breathed. Wolverine chuckled. Both their inner animals now quiet and satisfied, Wolverine gently ran his thumb across her cheek bone, feeling the scars. Sated and warmed by Wolverine, it was all Dria could do to stay awake. But his gentle stroking soon sent her into sweet darkness.

XxxX

Alexandria woke to an empty bed and sun in her eyes. She growled at the light and got up to shut the curtains. "Uh, hey, Dria," came a greeting from below. She looked down and realized some of the boys were playing football on the grounds and she had never dressed after last night. Her eyes widened and she snapped the curtains shut.

"Fuck," she growled. She looked at the clock. It was four in the afternoon, no wonder Wolverine was gone. How the hell had she slept so late? Dria put on dark jeans with holes in the knees and a strapless bra under a black t-shirt that hung off one shoulder. She adjusted the chain on her neck, brushed her hair and threw on some back eye make-up.

Dria headed to the kitchen in search of food. She found leftover pizza in the fridge. She sat down at the kitchen table and started to eat. Kitty and Megan walked. "Look who's up," Megan smiled.

"I guess I was really tired," Dria said. Then she realized, she didn't dream last night. She hadn't had a good night sleep, nightmare-free, since she got her scars. Even the night Wolverine had first slept with her after the Sabertooth break-in she had minor nightmares. "Have you seen Wolverine?"

"Ooooo," Kitty teased.

Dria rolled her eyes, "Relax, it's about chaperone stuff."

Kitty scoffed. "_Suuure_. Last I saw he was in the garage." Dria heard Kitty and Megan giggle after she left the room. She found Wolverine under his bike.

"Why is it you're always under a vehicle?" Dria teased. Wolverine slid his way out from under the bike and sat up. "Why didn't you wake me up this morning?"

He shrugged. "Looked like you could use the rest." Dria kneeled beside him.

"You forgot to close the curtains," she growled at him.

"And?" he asked, wondering what the problem was.

"_And _you're not the only guy at this school to have seen me naked now." Wolverine growled. Dria shrugged. "Your fault, big guy. Next time close the curtains," she said getting up. "If you're lucky enough to get a next time," she teased and left the garage. Wolverine smiled to himself before settling back under his motorcycle.

XxxX

"Wolverine, get your ass down here!" Dria shouted up the stairs. She heard him snarl before appearing at the top of the steps. "Relax, big guy. It's not gunna be _that_ bad." She was referring to the party tonight. It'd been three days since Dria's accidental show. She'd been keeping Wolverine at a distance just to spite him, but it was all she could do not to purr when she saw him dressed up. Kitty had picked out his clothes for the night, he couldn't say no. Wolverine was in black slacks and a button up white collared shirt. It was an interesting change from his jeans and t-shirt. "Looking good, old man."

"Not bad yerself, kid," he said giving her a once over. She was in black jeans, a studded belt, a black tank top, and a black hoodie that ended just below her ribs. Dria's hood was pulled over her eyes and dark red lipstick painted her lips. She tugged at the ever-present chain around her neck while Wolverine looked her over. He caught her around the waist and pulled her close.

Dria giggled and gently pushed against his chest. "We're supposed to set good examples for the students," she teased.

"Who?" he said with a smirk.

"Just save the good mood for the party, big guy. The guests are starting to arrive." Sure enough the doorbell rang and Wolverine growled, releasing Dria before Kitty came bounding in to get the door. Wolverine stalked off to the main room where the party would be held. Dria hung back and watched the guests pour in. They looked around curiously as they were directed into the main room where music was going. The guests finally stopped coming and Dria went to the main room. All the furniture had been pushed against the walls and the light bulbs replaced with colored ones like blue and red. Music was playing over the intercom system and everyone was dancing in the centre of the room.

Alexandria watched amused at the teenage antics. There were groups of friends laughing and dancing. There was high school drama, she even saw a girl slap her boyfriend and storm away to the kitchen. She saw Wolverine standing in a corner, arms folded across his chest. A tall jock in a football jacket came up to Dria. "Hey there."

"Move along, boy," she said, verbally waving him off.

"Dria!" Megan called. She was wearing a watch like Kurt's to hide her wings and give her a normal eye color, the pink hair stayed. Dria went to join Megan at the front door. Kitty was standing with her hands on her hips talking to the Brotherhood who was in the doorway.

"Why can't we come in?" Lance snapped.

"Cuz you'll cause problems or make a scene or something," Kitty shot back.

"Come on, Kitty. I wouldn't do that at your party."

She scoffed. "Just cuz you won't doesn't mean the rest of you Brotherhood won't." Pietro smirked. "That goes double for you!" Kitty scolded. Megan led Dria over to Kitty.

"There a problem, boys?" Dria asked coolly.

"Yeah. Kitty isn't letting me talk this out with her," Lance snapped.

"He wasn't invited. None of them were! They're just here to cause problems," Kitty growled.

"Kitty, don't be like that," Lance said, looking genuinely hurt. This didn't go unnoticed by Dria.

"Kitty, I think you and Lance need to go talk in the other room. I'll keep an eye on the res of them," Dria said quietly to Kitty.

She sighed. "Come on, Lance." The two disappeared down the hallway.

"So, what's the excuse for the rest of you being here?"

"Moral support," sneered Pietro. Dria raised a brow disbelieving.

Kitty came back with Lance, he was smiling and she was in a better mood. "Looks like you can stay. Just remember whose house you're in," she warned.

"Oh we won't," Pietro said with a smile as he walked passed Dria.

Dria followed them into the dance room then went to find Wolverine who hadn't budged from his corner. "Brotherhood is here," she warned.

He snarled. "What?" She nodded to the group of boys and Lance who was leading Kitty to the dance floor. "The hell are they doing here?" he growled.

"Lance is here for Kitty. Pietro is up to something, but it's better that he's where we can keep an eye on him." Wolverine snarled.

"This was a bad idea."

"It's too early for 'I-told-you-so', old man." Some of the kids had set up karaoke. A girl was singing while everyone cheered and danced. Dria watched Jean sing. "You gotta admit, big guy, the party is going pretty well so far."

"So far," he grunted. Dria stuck her tongue out at him. It was adorable but he found himself missing her eyes. Those warm slit red eyes that looked up at him with a teasing kindness.

"Dria, come on!" Kitty said, tugging her arm. Lance watched amused.

Megan had come to join in. "Yeah, go sing."

"No, no. I'm here to chaperone. This is your party. _You_ go sing."

"Come on, go sing," Kitty urged.

"Better do what they say, kid," Wolverine said with a hint of a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine." Kitty squealed and led Dria up to the karaoke machine. She flipped through quick to find a song she recognized. Soon she started to sing 'Animal I have Become' by Three Days Grace. Wolverine found himself entranced by the voice he first heard in a smoky bar. He let his guard down to the point that he almost didn't notice Toad starting a fight with one of the jocks. Dria finished up the song and headed straight for the fight.

"What is going on here?" she snapped.

"This little twerp was hitting on my girl an' freaking her out," the jock growled.

"Alright enough. I don't want that going on in my house. You boys need to leave," Dria ordered Toad who had been joined by Pietro and Blob.

"Why? I was just having a little fun," complained Toad.

"Have your fun. But not here," she snarled.

"Hard to take you seriously with that hood over your face," sneered Pietro. Wolverine had made it through the dense crowd to Dria. "How about we see what you're hiding." In a flash, Pietro had thrown off Dria's hood and returned to his previous spot. All the human kids gasped at seeing maroon snake-like eyes. Dria hissed venomously.

"Party's over," Wolverine snarled at the Brotherhood.

"We're just getting started," Pietro taunted. He ran circles around the room, cause an updraft and a small tornado. Bobby froze a patch on the floor, slipping up Quicksilver. This triggered an all-out battle between the Brotherhood and the X-Men. Dria went after Pietro, who was back on his feet while Wolverine took blob. Kitty took Lance, who was insisting he had no idea they had been planning this.

The humans bolted, screaming for the exit. Once they reached the yard, however, Pixie was covering them with her dust to make them hallucinate that everything was fine while Xavier edited their memories to forget seeing mutants.

Dria latched onto Pietro long enough to scrape his arm with her fangs. She didn't inject him with venom, but he got enough contact that it slowed him down and wore him out. Not wanting to show defeat but knowing he was no longer in any shape to fight, Pietro called out, "Alright, guys. I think we've done enough for the night. Let's go." The Brotherhood moved out, Lance protesting to Kitty that he had nothing to do with it.

"Every time I forgive you or give you a chance something like this happens! Get out!" she screamed at him, following him to the door. Once the humans were taken care of, they all filed off to their cars and went home.

"Kid," Wolverine began with a snap.

"Not now," Dria snarled, flipping her hood over her face and storming up the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

Wolverine knocked on Alexandria's door. He heard a sign and a "come in". He opened the door and shut it behind him. "Look, kid," he started.

"I'm not in mood to hear "I told you so'," she said. Wolverine found her sitting on the railing of the balcony.

"What are you doing, kid?" he asked walking over to her.

"Getting some air." As Wolverine neared her he realized she still had her hood over her face.

"What's wrong, kid?"

Dria nimbly flipped her body around on the railing so she was facing towards him. "I suppose I'm just pouting," she sighed.

"Why you pouting?"

"I fucked up the kids' night. I should have listened to you."

"Yeah, you should've," he growled. She looked up and realized he was smirking, this brought a small smile to her lips.

"I shouldn't have let the Brotherhood in. That was stupid."

"Then why'd you do it?"

"For Kitty." Wolverine raised a brow. "She's got something with that Lance. I don't want her to loose it," she explained. "Especially since it's so hard for _our kind_ to build relationships. Most humans don't understand, so it makes our selection significantly smaller. I just wanted to give them a sense of normality."

Wolverine reached up and lowered Dria's hood. "You got a good heart, kid." She wrapped her legs around Wolverine's waist and pulled him into her.

"So do you, old man," she said giving him a sweet peck on the lips.

"Get a room!" They looked below and saw Kurt with a rather large smile on his face.

"What are you doing out there, elf?" snarled Wolverine.

"I had to take my girlfriend home," he explained.

"Has she seen you without your image inducer?" Dria asked surprised.

He nodded. "She's always known."

Dria smiled. "Well good for you. Now get out of here." He vanished with a Cheshire smile. "I guess we're 'official' now," Dria chuckled. Wolverine looked at her confused. "The kids have been speculating that you and I are a couple but they've never seen any proof. The elf knows, he'll tell Kitty and Kitty will tell _everyone_." Wolverine growled.

"Who says we're a couple," he teased.

"Apparently every student at this school. Now go get some rest," she said pushing him away.

Dria actually have the nerve to give him a soft kick on the butt, as he turned to leave, from her perch on the railing. "Watch it," he growled. She smirked and blew him a mocking kiss before he stalked out of the room.

XxxX

Word spread around the school fast that Wolverine and Dria were an item. By breakfast the next morning everyone knew. Including the teachers. Alexandria sat on the edge of Xavier's desk and was talking to him while the students played outside. "Sometimes I wish things were as black and white as they are in high school. You're dating or you're not." She shrugged. "Yes I've got something with Logan, but I'm not sure it deserves a label yet."

"And what _would_ make it deserving of a label," asked Xavier, playing counselor. He was always good at that, even when _she_ was the one supposed to be counseling _him_.

"That's up to him. I have a feeling he's not exactly one for commitment."

"Logan doesn't stay in the mansion for long. He has a tendency to leave for extended periods of time. He has not left _once_ since you have been here." It was nice to know that he was willing to stick around for her. All Wolverine needed to do was admit to himself that he felt something. "Alexandria?" Xavier began to ask.

"Yeah?"

"I have been meaning to ask but have never found the right time."

"You want to know about the scar," she stated. She knew this was coming.

He gave a slight smile. "You never needed telepathy to read me."

"Alright," she started then went into her story. The experiments, the tests. Sabertooth. Everything.

Xavier reminds silent for a long time. Finally he spoke, "Does Logan know?"

Dria shook her head. "No. Remy… Gambit, does. That's why he helped me escape Magneto."

"He should know."

XxxX

Dria went to bed that night thinking of the best time to tell Wolverine. Her thoughts went black as she fell asleep. That night she dreamt of chains. They bound her arms and legs as well as her stomach and throat. As she struggled in the emptiness, the one around her neck began to tighten. The harder she struggled, the tighter it got. And in the darkness, she heard Wolverine snarl, like he was in a struggle of his own.

This woke Alexandria, she was tangled in her sheets from her thrashing and the chain she wore around her neck had tightened. But the sounds of Wolverine were real. She could hear them faintly from down the hall. Slipping out of her bed she went to investigate. Once outside his door she listened. He would go quiet for periods of time only to thrash about and snarl once more. Quietly opening his door, Dria saw that he was in the throws of a nightmare.

She walked slowly to his bed. "Wolverine?" She waited then moved to his side. "Logan?" Still he didn't wake. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "Log…" Dria cut off with a sharp intake of breath. Wolverine had snapped awake at the touch, popped his claws, and rammed them into Dria's right lung.

"Dria?" he asked, suddenly awake and panicked. He quickly retracted his claws and stood swiftly to catch Dria as her knees buckled. She couldn't breathe, he had given her a collapsed lung. Wolverine laid her on his bed, silently willing her healing to go faster. He watched impatiently as her skin closed, a second later she took in a sharp breath of air before beginning to breathe normally again

"Remind me never to wake you," she gasped as air filled her lungs.

"You ok, kid?" he asked worried.

"I'll live," she grunted, sitting herself up. "Just sore."

"Rest," he ordered, urging her to lay down by putting a large hand on her shoulder and gently pushing her back.

"I'm fine, big guy. See?" she lifted her shirt enough to show there were no wounds anymore. He ran a rough hand over her lower ribs below her breast as if to reassure himself that the cuts were gone. Wolverine sat on the edge of the bed by her side, his hand resting on her upper stomach. "What were you dreaming about, old man."

"The Weapon X Program."

"What's that?"

"It's how I got adamantium on my skeleton." Dria waited expectantly so Wolverine continued. "I've been a soldier more 'an a few times. One o' the times I caught the eye of a man named Stryker. He tricked me into volunteering for an experiment."

"Why volunteer?"

"Sedatives don't work well on me. They put me in a tank, stuck me with all kinds of needles, and grafted adamantium onto all my bones. After that they erased my memory and reprogrammed me to be a weapon. The Prof has helped me get most o' it back."

"It would be nice to not remember some things."

Wolverine looked her over. He ran a thumb over her scars. "What's your story, kid."

Dria sighed, now was as good a time as any. She stared up at the ceiling while she explained the scars to Wolverine. When she finished she looked over to Wolverine, whose face had gone completely blank. He was silently furious. In his mind he was tearing apart Sabertooth a dozen different ways. "Logan?" she asked after he had been quiet for a while.

"Come 'ere, kid. Let's get some sleep," was all he said before laying down beside her and rolling his back to her. She lay against his back with an arm over his broad chest.

XxxX

Dria slept uneasy that night. She was falling endlessly in darkness, spiraling. A haunting voice was repeating, "You belong to HYDRA." She woke with no memory of the dream and had an odd urge to track HYDRA down. The urge was quickly drowned when Wolverine rolled to his back in his sleep. She was caught by the sight of his bare chest. She ran her nails through the hair on his chest.

Wolverine breathed in deeply. "Mornin, kid," he grumbled. She smiled sweetly at him. "What?" he asked groggily.

"Nothing," she shook her head. Her long black hair was a jumbled mess around her face.

"You were tossin all night," he growled, starting to wake up more.

"Sorry," she apologized, laying her head on his chest. "So, stab anyone last night?" she teased.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Nah, just some annoying little shit."

"Watch it, old man," she growled, playfully punching his chest. He faked a flinch. "Get up, big guy. We've got yard work to do."

XxxX

Alexandria was on all fours pulling weeds when Kitty joined her. "Tell me _everything_," she squealed.

"I assume you're talking about me and Wolverine?"

"Duh. It's all anyone is talking about today," she put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

Dria chuckled. "You all _should _be talking about all the yard work that needs to be done."

Kitty got down next to Dria and pulled a weed. "There. Now spill."

"You're not going to go away are you?" she asked, amused.

"Nope," Kitty smiled.

"Fine. Logan and I are… something. But you'd have to ask him if you want specifics." Kitty jumped up and trotted over to Wolverine who was cutting some tree limbs with his claws. "Let me know what he says," Dria called out jokingly. She watched Kitty trot up to a shirtless Wolverine.

Dria watched as Kitty said something and Wolverine dropped the branch he was holding onto his head, then a loud, "Beat it, pipsqueak." Dria laughed. Wolverine's head snapped over to her and she waved. He snarled.

Dria paused as a wave of dizziness washed through her mind. She again found herself wanting to track HYDRA down. Alexandria grabbed her head and waited for the dizziness to pass. Wolverine was suddenly by her side. "You ok?" he asked.

"Always worrying," Dria teased, collecting herself. "Just a little headache."

XxxX

Alexandria's spells of dizziness increased in frequency and severity. She began secluding herself, shutting herself in her room for extended periods of time. Dria heard a knock on her door. She looked around confused. Last thing she remembered, she had lay down on her bed to fight off the dizziness. Now she was standing at the window in her uniform. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it. "Come in, Wolverine."

"You ok, kid?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Fine. Why?"

"You've been avoidin' everyone for the last few days." Dria walked up to Wolverine. "Why are you in your uniform, kid?"

She looked down. "I…don't know," she admitted. Wolverine placed a large hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what's happening."

XxxX

Wolverine had stayed with Alexandria that night. When he woke the next morning, the bed was empty. Not bothering with a shirt he went straight to Xavier's office.

He found Xavier starring out the window, a piece of paper on his desk. Wolverine walked up to the Professor and picked the paper. It was a note from Dria. "She's gone."


	10. Chapter 10

Wolverine read over the note. _I've been blacking out and waking up in different places. I don't now what these blackouts are or what I do while I'm out. I'm not safe right now. I'll be back when I find_

The note ended abruptly. He read it over again and growled. "Damn it, kid. Chuck, any idea what this means?"

Xavier shook his head. "Not at all. I haven't witnessed any of the "blackouts" she writes about. I'll check cerebro for her." Wolverine followed the professor to the entry to cerebro. He paced the hallway, waiting for a response. After a while Charles came out. "She isn't using her powers, it's making it difficult to track her. I'll keep watch for when she next uses them. Wolverine snarled.

Fuck this waiting game. He was going to search for her.

XxxX

Dria woke on a cot in a cement room. She looked around. Other than the green cot, there was a door that led to a bathroom, and a bared window. It was dark outside. She remembered writing a note and then nothing. She got up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face.

Alexandria caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. She was in a strange uniform. She wore low-riding dark green leather pants and a black halter top that surrounded her neck and ended above her naval, leaving her back completely exposed. The green H.Y.D.R.A. emblem sat on her right breast. She wanted to snarl at the sign but couldn't. Dria only had slight control over what she was doing.

Her red serpentine eyes looked over her body. She didn't seem to have anything wrong with her. Her straight black hair helped to cover her bare back to half-way down. Se heard a knock on a metal door. Dria's legs carried her to it. She opened the door and saw Sabertooth standing there with a wicked smirk.

XxxX

Wolverine had broken into an MRD building. He stood in the middle of a room with six bodies at his feet. He had a survivor pinned against the wall with one hand, his other hand held claws to the man's throat.

"Last chance, bub," he snarled.

"I-I-I swear. I don't know anything!" the man pleaded.

Wolverine pressed the tips of his claws to the man's jugular. The man whimpered. "It's yer lucky day, bub," he said, dropping the man on the floor and leaving. He hoped on his motorcycle and sped off.

His next stop was a H.Y.D.R.A. facility just north of the Canadian border. Wolverine drove without stopping. He had reached the border by sunrise. He stopped at a gas station to fill up his bike.

Walking inside the convenient store to pay, Wolverine glanced at the headline of the local paper. Mutants had been disappearing throughout the county. The picture on the front was a blurry form in the trees. He recognized the silhouette and snarled. He snatched up a paper. "This too."

XxxX

Dria woke up to her snapping handcuffs on a middle aged woman with brown hair. The woman was unconscious. Alexandria felt herself stand. A large hand weighed heavily on her shoulder. She turned to see Sabertooth smiling at her. "Good girl."

Alexandria snarled. She tried to move herself. "What the fuck?" she chocked out with much effort.

Sabertooth chuckled. "You're back. Good. You're ours now, bitch."

"What's going on?" she growled, stronger this time.

"Time to take your medicine," Sabertooth smirked. He injected something into Dria's arm and everything faded away.

XxxX

Wolverine was nearing his destination when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled over and removed his helmet to put his phone to his ear. "Logan, Alexandria has used her powers forty miles northeast from your current location,' came Xavier's voice.

"Thanks, Chuck," he said and was about to hang up.

"I will arrange a pick-up five miles south from her location."

"I'd rather do this quiet. In 'n out quick," he said.

"None the less. A quick available get away may be needed."

Wolverine growled. "Fair enough. Have 'em be there in ninety minutes." He hung up the phone and replaced his helmet on his head before turning around and taking off.

He sped through the Canadian forest roads. The trees became a blur and he picked up his pace to a neck-breaking speed. Wolverine finally came to stop and ditched his motorcycle in the trees. He would take the rest of the way on foot so he wouldn't be so easily spotted.

Wolverine made his way through the forest quietly. The sun was now setting. The shadows were to Wolverine's advantage. The mix of bright sunlight and long shadows made seeing clearly next to impossible. He growled to himself as he made his way towards the facility.

XxxX

Alexandria woke to her walking side by side with Sabertooth. Sabertooth opened a door and Dria walked in, followed by Sabertooth. "Seems we have a visitor," came a woman's voice.

Dria looked around and saw a woman in all green lounging in a high backed chair. She spun the chair to face Sabertooth and Dria. "Not a problem," Sabertooth said wickedly.

"No. I think I'll have our new pet deal with this one." The woman turned her chair again to show a stilled image of Wolverine half hidden by trees.

Alexandria's eyes widened. She tried to make her legs work. She had to warn Wolverine. Dria wouldn't hurt Wolverine, no matter how drugged up they made her. "No," she managed out.

The woman chuckled. "Sabertooth, be a dear and give our girl her medicine and get her ready to welcome out guest." Sabertooth snarled happily and took Dria's upper arm.

"Let's go, girl." Dria struggled wildly with her mind to try to move on her own accord. Nothing she did was working. Sabertooth took Dria to her room and pulled out another syringe. Alexandria managed to pull her arm away from Sabertooth. He smirked and walked up to her. She tried to move her feet but were frozen. Dria felt the hollow needle puncture her skin, felt the liquid rush in. Once more, everything went black.

XxxX

Wolverine managed to make it inside the facility without tripping anything. He came to an empty room that was pitch black. He heard a sound on the opposite side of the room. The door behind him shut and locked itself before the room lit up. Wolverine blinked his eyes a few times to adjust to the sudden light.

"Hey there, runt," came Sabertooth's snarling voice.

Wolverine looked to where the sound came from, his body crouched and tensed, ready for a fight. He saw Sabertooth standing with his arms crossed, a cocky smirk on his face. He seemed happier to fight Wolverine than usual. He popped his claws and snarled. "I don't have time for your shit, Victor."

Sabertooth chuckled. "I think you do." Alexandria walked out from behind Sabertooth in her H.Y.D.R.A. uniform.

"Kid, what are you doing?" Wolverine asked, taken off guard. She didn't respond, just stared at him with blank red eyes. Sabertooth put his clawed hands on Alexandria's shoulders.

"My little bitch here is very obedient. Aren't you, girl?" Sabertooth mocked. Dria nodded mechanically. She was screaming in her mind for Wolverine to get out. "Get him."

Dria charged Wolverine. He snarled and dodged as she threw a fist at him. "Ya gotta snap out of it, kid. I ain't gunna fight ya." Dria snarled rabidly and ran at him again. She kicked, punched, and lunged several times at Wolverine. He kept dodging and blocking. Never going on the offensive, Wolverine tried to keep some distance between him and Alexandria.

Dria stalked Wolverine at a distance for a moment. She circled him, eyeing him wearily. Wolverine waited. He watched Dria circle him. When he got a feel for her rhythm, he waited for her to get to the point of her circle furthest from Sabertooth. Wolverine charged him, claws out.

He had nearly forgotten how fast Alexandria was, but was quickly reminded when she was suddenly standing between Wolverine and Sabertooth. Wolverine tried to pull back his strike, but the momentum was so great and Dria's appearance so sudden, that Wolverine only managed to pull back and slow enough to gash Dria's stomach but not eviscerate her. She didn't so much as cringe when her stomach split open in three different places. And she stood just as still as she healed.

Wolverine snarled. "Victor, ya _coward_. Having a little brainwashed girl protect you from a runt like me. Yer pathetic, bub," he growled, trying to provoke Sabertooth. It worked. Sabertooth growled and shoved Dria aside to grab Wolverine by the throat and lift him in the air. Wolverine had been holding onto Sabertooth's wrist instinctively to keep from chocking. He let one arm go and sliced through Sabertooth's arm. He roared out in pain and inadvertently dropped Wolverine, along with his severed arm, to the floor. Wolverine picked up the arm. "Fetch," he snarled and hucked the arm to the furthest wall.

Dria saw Sabertooth run to retrieve his arm and got back in a fighting stance. She lunged for Wolverine. He grabbed her wrists and held tight. Dria struggled wildly. Wolverine heard a few snaps as Dria actually broke her wrists trying to get loose.

"Dria. Come back to me, kid. This ain't you," Wolverine ordered. His gruff voice traveled through Alexandria's ears and into her mind.

"Logan," she choked out, still struggling madly with broken wrists.

"I'm here, kid. I ain't going nowhere without ya," he assured her, trying stubbornly to subdue her.

Sabertooth laughed menacingly. "She does what she's ordered to do. Now, finish him."

Wolverine saw her usual fire behind her red eyes appear for a moment. "Logan, run," she squeaked. Her jaw dropped open in a serpentine hiss, her fangs fully distended and the neon green venom welled up from the hollow tips. She threw her body inward and hissed in Wolverine's face.

He shoved Dria back and braced himself for another attack. Dria's wrists healed while she observed Wolverine. Suddenly, she lunged for his jugular, leading with her dripping fangs. Wolverine reflexively grabbed the thick chain that always adorned Alexandria's neck, accidentally snapping it. Wolverine was taking aback by what the chain had always obscured.

A licorice rope of a scar encircled her neck. It was a puffed pink like the scars on her face. If it weren't for Dria attacking again, Wolverine would have been able to figure out the weapon and owners to said weapon. "Like my handiwork?" Sabertooth mocked. "Killed her. She was dead a whole ten minutes before they could revive her." Dria paused when she heard this. He walked up to Dria and put his clawed hands on her forearms and kissed the top of Alexandria's head.

That was all she could take. All the rage and furry Dria felt from that single act sent Dria into such a rage that she blacked out.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sick fuck!" roared Alexandria. The rage in her mind had taken over the drugs that they had been using to control her. She whirled and sunk the entire length of her hollow-tipped fangs into Sabertooth's wrist. She injected as much venom as she could manage into Sabertooth's veins. Sabertooth roared and ripped his arm away, tearing a large chunk of his wrist.

Sabertooth began bleeding out rapidly. The immense amount out venom in his vein stopped his healing all together and rendered him weak as a kitten. The large amount of blood spilling from his gaping wrist did nothing to help. Dria turned to Wolverine. "That you, kid?" he asked, walking up to her. She nodded. "Good. Let's get you the hell out of here." Wolverine led the way. He retraced his steps, this time not caring if anything got tripped. Less than two minutes later, sirens began to blare and red lights flashed. They made it through the building and broke out into the forest. "We got five miles to the pick up."

XxxX

"Sabertooth is down. She overpowered the drug and escaped with the Wolverine," a generic uniformed man informed the woman in green.

"Where is she now?"

"With the Wolverine in the forest. They are going to ron de vous with other X-Men."

The woman smirked. "Perfect. We can test our fail-safe."

XxxX

Wolverine and Alexandria came to a clearing where the blackbird was parked. The door dropped open for the pair. Wolverine stepped onto the ramp, Dria right behind him. But as soon as her foot contacted metal, she froze. "Kid, come on. We don't have time," Wolverine snarled.

Dria remained frozen in spot, not moving a muscle, barely even breathing. She stared into emptiness. "What's the matter?" asked Nightcrawler. "Why isn't she moving?"

"What's going on?" Jean asked, joining Nightcrawler.

"Somethin' ain't right," Wolverine growled. A low hiss emitted from Dria's throat. She turned and glared up at the two students. Her jaw slowly dropped open and her fangs elongated. "Get back. Now!" Wolverine ordered. The two students retreated a few steps just as Dria lunged. Wolverine caught her around the waist and threw her away from the jet into the clearing. "Shut the doors," Wolverine called. The driver obeyed, locking Dria and Wolverine out.

Loosing her original targets, Dria turned her attention to Wolverine. Her red eyes were glazed over. Alexandria sprang and tackled Wolverine. She slid a dagger from somewhere hidden on her hip and plunged it into Wolverine's shoulder. He growled and tossed her off. Wolverine righted himself and pulled the bloody dagger from his flesh.

Dria crouched and hissed at Wolverine. He ran at her. His plan was to subdue her so he could take her home and the Prof and Beast could figure out what was possessing her. Nightcrawler teleported Kitty and Rogue out to Wolverine and Dria. "What's going on? We have to leave. Jean says they're coming," Rogue yelled to Wolverine.

"Get out of here. She's dangerous right now," Wolverine ordered. Dria leapt at Wolverine. He dodged, Dria tucked and rolled, landing next to the dagger. She swept it up. Dria bolted towards the kids. Nightcrawler teleported and Kitty phased instinctually. But Dria grabbed Rogue up the collar of her shirt and slammed her up against a tree. Alexandria had the dagger in her free hand, the dagger at Rogue's throat. Wolverine growled and knew he had to stop Dria. Knowing she would heal, but hating himself for what he was about to do, Wolverine quietly said, "I'm sorry, kid." Holding his breath, Wolverine popped his claws with what seemed like a deafening _snikt_, ran a Dria, and slid his claws into Dria's back, the tips exposed through her stomach.

Alexandria froze, the dagger slid from her hand and fell with a thud on the floor. She released Rogue. Wolverine quickly retracted his claws. But something wasn't right. Sickening seconds ticked by and Dria still hadn't healed. She staggered backward and fell against Wolverine who caught her. He kneeled, lowering Dria to the ground. Wolverine cradled her head in his lap.

Wolverine examined Dria's face. Her pale flesh had lost any color it once had. Her lips were dried and blue. Dria's red, serpentine eyes rolled up into her head. Wolverine gently shook her shoulders. "Kid? Dria?" he said trying to revive her. "Alexandria?" he asked more firmly. Her head rolled to the side as blood flowed freely from her back and stomach. His eye line followed down her paling neck, down her shoulder and down her arm. His eyes fixated on to holes just below her wrist, oozing neon green venom.

XxxX

Wolverine sat at Alexandria's bedside. Beast had stitched her up the best he could. Xavier had gone into Dria's mind and dug up bits of memory from when she was drugged. As it turned out, there was a microchip of sorts implanted in her brain. It was the microchip that had driven her to hunt down H.Y.D.R.A. and caused her black outs before leaving. The black outs were the microchip trying to take control and force her back. The distance had been the only thing hindering it.

IVs and wires protruded from all over Alexandria's body. Sensors monitored her brain, her heart, her breathing. IVs fed her blood, nutrients, and water. "There's nothing we can do for her now except wait for her healing to return," Beast told Wolverine, placing a sympathetic furred hand on his shoulder. Wolverine nodded, not taking his eyes off of Dria.

He waited.

XxxX

A day later, Beast operated and removed the microchip. And still Dria slept.

It was night of the second day after returning. Wolverine sat at Alexandria's bedside. He put a large hand on her fragile looking arm. Dria rolled towards him in her sleep. It was the first movement she had made since Wolverine stabbed her. "I'm here, kid," he said running a hand through her messed, ebony hair. "I ain't going nowhere."

XxxX

Alexandria heard snoring. It was gruff and deep and familiar. She tried to think of where she could have possibly before. Without opening her eyes, Dria reached out a hand and found purchase on a hairy arm. Her mind finally grasped the snore, Wolverine. She smiled lightly. "Logan," she whispered groggily.

The snoring abruptly halted. "Kid? That you?"

She breathed deep. "Morning, old man," she purred, not realizing the condition she was in.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Mmhmm. Why?" she rubbed her closed eyes and felt something tug at her arm, like her sleeve got caught. Dria slowly opened her eyes. "Why am I in the infirmary?"

"Do you remember anything?" Wolverine asked.

Dria looked around at the IVs and wires. She looked down at her arm. Two circular scars now lay beneath her wrist and everything came back. "I bit myself to stop myself. I was going to kill one of the kids." She lifted her shirt and saw three oblong scars. "I don't know which kid. I was so far gone."

"Rogue. She's fine." Dria's healing had been retarded just enough for her to scar quickly. They appeared over two days rather than two months. "How do you feel?"

She started pulling off wires and pulling out IVs. The holes healed instantly. "My healing is back. I'm pretty sore," she said, running a hand along her stomach, feeling the raised edges.

"I'm sorry, kid."

Dria smirked. "I can't believe you just apologized."

"I put you in that bed."

"And if you hadn't, we'd be putting an X-Child in the ground," she said sternly. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Kid…" Wolverine started but was cut off by Alexandria's lips covering his. Dria was now sitting, pressing her lips against Wolverine's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She purred happily.

"It's good to see you," Dria sighed against his lips.

Wolverine chuckled. "Good t' see ya as yerself, kid."

Dria smiled and pulled away. She looked down and examined her new scars. "For someone that has a healing mutation, I sure have a lot of scars."

Wolverine frowned. "Dria…"

"It's ok, big guy. I like them."

"Why?"

"They're from you," she smiled up at him.

"Alexandria…"

"I love you too, Logan," she said sweetly.

He smiled. "Ya ever gunna let me finish a sentence?"

She smirked. "I let you finish that one, didn't I?"

"Yer gunna be the death of me," Wolverine snarled.

Dria chuckled. "I gotta return the favor."

"I love you, kid."

"I know."

XxxX

End. I hope you enjoyed! J Please let me know what you thought. I always like hearing from readers.


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